tihxaxy  of  Che  tireolojical  ^eminarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


•d^D- 


PRESENTED  BY 

Delavan  L.  Piers on 
BV  3700  .135  1905 
in  the  King's  service 


A  MISSION  STUDY  COURSE  ALONG 

BIOGRAPHICAL  LINES 

Edited  by  Chari-ES  R.  Watson,  Corresponding  Sec'y 


\x\  tfie 


■Kiog's  ^erVice 


THE  BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 
OF  THE 

united  presbyterian  church  of  n.  a. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


"The  bright  memories  of  the  holy  dead, 

"The  blessed  ones  departed,  shine  on  us 

Like  the  pure  splendors  of  some  clear,  large  star. 

Which  pilgrims,  traveling  outward,  at  their  backs 

Leave,  and  at  every  moment  see  not  now  ; 

Yet  whensoe'er  they  list  may  pause  and  turn, 

tAnd  with  its  glories  gild  their  faces  still" . 

— Trench. 


Copyright,  1905,  by 
The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  thb 
United  Presbyt»riaj»  Church  of  N.  A. 


PREFACE 


"The  Bible  is  written  largely  biographically," 
said  a  leading-  Bible  student,  "and  I  am  glad  for 
that,  because  I  take  great  interest  in  a  man 
when  I  don't  take  great  interest  in  a  thing." 
Should  not  these  lives,  spent  'in  the  King's  ser- 
vice' and  done  here  in  'ink  and  paper,'  lead 
many  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  true 
character,  the  joy,  and  the  glory  of  that  'ser- 
vice?' May  it  not  be,  too,  that  they  will  bring 
many  even  into  the  King's  presence?  This  is 
the  purpose  of  their  writing. 

This  book  gives  the  life  records  of  but  six 
men  and  women;  three  from  each  of  the  two 
mission  fields  to  which  special  attention  is  call- 
ed, Egypt  and  the  Punjab,  India.  Others  have 
been  in  the  King's  service  and  have  received 
their  promotion;  many  others  are  still  rendering 
heroic  service  to  the  King  and  His  kingdom. 


6  Preface 

To  all  these,  this  book  makes  no  reference.  It 
lays  no  claim  to  completeness.  Its  character 
was  determined  by  the  material  available,  the 
writers  who  would  co-operate,  and  the  require- 
ments of  a  mission  study  course  for  the  Young 
People  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  It 
will  be  found,  however,  that  the  lives  here  pre- 
sented, call  up  for  study  different  phases  of  the 
great  missionary  enterprise.  In  the  study  of 
these  lives,  every  questioning  reader  will  be 
led  far  afield  into  a  study  of  geography,  history, 
religions,  social  customs,  and  missionary  meth- 
ods. For  the  guidance  of  all  such,  supple- 
mentary helps  have  been  placed  in  the  back  of 
the  book. 


CONTENTS 


I.  John  Hogg — "Pioneer  Missionary  Work 

IN  Egypt," 
BY  Miss  Bessie  Hogg        .        .  .  ii 

II.  Martha    J.    McKown, — "The   Elevation 

OF    Egyptian    Womanhood," 
BY  Miss  Rena  Hogg     ....        45 

III.     Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing — "The  Personal 
Element     in     Missionary      Service," 
BY  Rev.  Charles  R.  Watson        .       .      83 

IV.  Andrew  Gordon — "The   Founding    of  a 

Mission," 
BY  Rev.  D.  R.  Gordon         .  .  •     115 

V.  Sophia  E.  Johnson — "In   the    Footsteps 

OF  THE  Great  Physician," 

BY  Miss  Mary  J.    Campbell  .     155 

VI.  Robert  Reed    McClure— "The    Beauty 

AND  Power  of  a  Surrendered  Life," 
by  Rev.  W.    B.  Anderson  .  .179 

Appendix.     A. — Mission  Study  along  Biographical 

lines         .....  207 

B.  — Organization     and     Leadership  209 
C— Outlines   and    Suggestions    for 

Meetings         ....  219 

D.— Charts 226 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Rev.  John  Hogg,  D.D. 
Miss  Martha  J.  McKown 
Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing 
Rev.  Andrew  Gordon,  D.D.     . 
Mrs.  Sophia  E.  Johnson,  M.D. 
Rev.  Robert  Reed  McClure, 
God's  Acre  at  Sialkot, 
Diagrams  and  Charts 


page 
Facing  page        9 

43 

81 

117 

153 

177 

"  "         206 

226-235 


John  Hogg,  D.D. 


PIONEER  MISSIONARY  WORK  IN 
EGYPT. 

JOHN  HOGG. 

Born  at  Penston.   near  Edinburgh,   Scotland,   April 
30TH,  1833. 

Died  at  Assiut,  Egypt,  February  27TH,  1886. 
"The  zeal  of  Thy  house  hath  eaten  me  up." — Ps.  69:  9. 

There  are  men  of  conviction  whose  very  faces  will  light  up 
an  era." — J.  T.  Fields. 

"He  was  the  prince  of  Bible  workers  in  this  land  of  dark- 
ness. For  more  than  twenty  years  he  was  identified,  more  than 
any  other  one,  with  the  work  of  evatigelism,  in  Upper  Egypt. 
Thousands  heard  his  earnest  words  and  were  moved  to  examine 
the  Scriptures  to  see  if  his  teaching  were  true.  One  cannot  con- 
template his  work  without  being  deeply  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  his  was  a  large  faith,  always  looking  upward  to  the  face  of 
the  Master  and  getting  cheer  from  His  smiles."- — Rev.  I.  G.  Bliss, 
D.  D.,  writing  about  Dr.  Hogg  to  the  New  York  Evangelist. 


KM  l'(  )RTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
DR.  HOGG'S  LIFE. 

1833.  Born  at  Pension,  near   Edinburgh,   Scotland,  April   30th. 

1848.  Public  confession  of  Christ. 

1849.  Matriculates  as  a  student  at  lidinburgh  University. 
1851.  Death  of  his  mother,  and  first  missionary  address. 
1856.  Arrival  of  Alexandria  and  opening  of  a  school. 

1859.      Return   to    Scotland    for   completion   of  theological    studies. 
i860.      Licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

Married  to   Miss   Bessie   Kay,   January    loth. 

Sailed   for   Egypt,   January   27th. 

Shipwrecked,  January  31st. 

Arrives  at  .Mexandria,  March   19th. 

Preaches  first  sermon  in  Arabic,  June  24th. 

1863.  Transferred  from  Alexandria  to  Cairo. 

1864.  Theological   Seminary  opened,   September. 

1865.  Begins  work  at  Assiut,  February  21st. 

1866.  Appointed  Professor  of  Theology. 
Returns  to  Scotland  on  account  of  health. 

1867.  Year  of  great  Coptic  Persecution. 

1870.      First   Protestant   Church  opened  in  Assiut. 
1872.      First  and  only  visit  to  America. 

1876.      Takes    up    special     preparation     of    books     for    theological 
students. 

1882.  Rebellion,    headed   by   Arabi   Pasha — Missionaries   are   com- 

pelled  to  leave   Egypt  temporarily. 

1883.  (.".reat  religious  interest  in  Upper  Egypt. 
Itinerating  on  the  Nile  in  the  "Ibis." 

1884.  Another  tour  on  the  "Ibis." 

1885.  Last  visit  to  Scotland. 

1886.  Dr.  Hogg  dies  after  two  weeks'  illness.   February  27th. 


JOHN  HOGG 

Pioneer  Missionary  Work  in  Egypt 
By  miss  BESSIE  HOGG 

In  a  little  Scotch  village  called  Penston,  sit- 
uated not  far  from  Edinburgh,  John  Hogg  was 
born  on  April  30th,  1833. 

His  father  was  overseer  in  the  Penston  Col-  Parentage. 
liery,  and  his  mother  the  daughter  of  a  small 
country  farmer.  They  were  a  devout,  God-fear- 
ing couple  and  held  in  high  respect  by  all  who 
knew  them,  Mr.  Hogg  for  long  holding  the  of- 
fice of  elder  in  the  U.  P.  Church  which  the  fam- 
ily attended.  John  was  the  third  of  a  family  of 
ten  children,  seven  boys  and  three  girls.  At  the 
tender  age  of  four,  he  had  already  learned  to 
read  and  spell  and  was  promoted  from  the  vil- 
lage school  to  the  parish  school  of  Gladsmuir. 
When  five  years  old  he  committed  to  memory, 
during  one  afternoon,  the  multiplication  table, 
and  he  had  it  so  thoroughly  that  he  never  af- 
terwards needed  to  refer  to  it,  but  had  it  always 
at  his  fingers  ends.  Yet  he  was  not  a  particu- 
larly bright  scholar.  Grammar  especially  was 
his  bug-bear,  and  once  or  twice,  conscientious 


12  In  the  King's  Service 

boy  though  he  was,  he  played  the  truant  simply 
for  horror  of  grammar  and  the  rod.  At  the  age 
of  nine  and  a  half  he  left  school  to  enter  the 
coal  mines  in  order  to  assist  his  father  and  elder 
brothers  in  providing  for  the  family.  Trade 
was  then  very  dull  and  times  were  hard. 
Through  some  misunderstanding,  John's  father 
had  lost  his  situation  and  was  reduced  to  work- 
ing as  a  common  collier,  and  the  weekly  income 
of  father  and  two  sons  only  amounted  to  some 
ten  shillings.* 

A  few  extracts  from  some  reminiscences, 
written  by  Dr.  Hogg  in  his  later  years  for  his 
children,  will  give  glimpses  of  the  poverty  and 
the  sufifering  endured  during  this  period  of  his 
life.  "Mother  was  our  only  tailor  till  we  were 
out  of  our  teens.  When  one  outgrew  a  suit,  the 
next  in  order  assumed  it,  and  as  I  was  the  third 
I  generally  finished  them  of?.  Well  do  I  re- 
member getting  a  new  velvet  jacket  all  to  my- 
self, one  time  when  three  were  made  for  the 
three  eldest  of  us.  Mine  had  a  big  hump  in  the 
middle  of  the  back,  but  I  did  not  much  mind 
about  that,  and  when  father  put  a  penny  in  the 
pocket  to  'hansel'  it,  I  was  as  happy  as  a  king. 
But  I  was  sick  of  velvet  jackets  before  I  got 
through  them.  When  George  outgrew  his,  it 
came  to  me,  and  then  I  wore  James's,  and  when 
they  were  past  wearing  in  daylight,  they  were 
worn  in  the  pit  until  they  had  entirely  changed 
their  color. 

♦  About  la.50. 


John    Hogg  13 

"How  proud  I  was  when  I  got  a  present  of  ^*  °  Miner. 
an  old  lamp  and  got  it  trimmed  and  filled  and 
felt  that  it  was  mine.  Little  I  knew  what  was 
before  me.  It  was  fine  fun  at  first,  but  it  be- 
came a  sober  reality  by-and-by.  *  *  *  j 
have  always  looked  back  to  this  time  as  a 
period  of  slavery.  The  dragging  of  the  wagons 
up  a  steeply  inclined  plane  was  too  heavy  work 
for  two  boys  of  ten  and  fifteen  years  of  age.  I 
had  to  go  before  and  pull  with  a  chain  in  each 
hand,  guiding  the  box  on  the  rails  and  tugging 
with  all  my  might  at  the  same  time,  while  my 
brother  pushed  behind.  I  was  constantly  get- 
ting a  knock  on  my  head  from  the  projecting 
stones  above,  and  when  to  save  my  head  I  got 
into  the  habit  of  getting  it  well  down,  while  T 
ducked  like  a  pony,  my  back,  on  which  I  had 
only  a  thin  flannel  shirt,  rubbed  on  some  knotty 
ridge  that  was  lower  than  the  rest,  so  that  the 
whole  of  the  spine  was  rubbed  almost  flat  and 
the  slightest  touch  on  the  unhealed  sores 
caused  such  pain  as  almost  took  away  my 
breath." 

The  removal  to  another  coal  pit  brought  no  An  Accident 
lightening  of  work,  but  it  gave  the  father  a  bet-  ""'^ 
ter  situation,  with  better  wages,  and  made  it  '  ® 
possible  for  the  boys  to  attend  evening  school. 
This  latter  privilege  was  not  welcomed  by  John. 
who  preferred  to  spend  his  leisure  time  in  play, 
but  a  crisis    soon    occurred    in    his    life    which 


14  In  the  King's  Service 

aroused  the  spirit  of  the  student  within  him. 
One  sorrowful  Monday  morning,  poor  Mrs. 
Hogg  saw  her  son  carried  home,  pale  and  suf- 
fering, on  the  back  of  a  stalwart  miner.  "Don't 
cry,  mother,  my  leg  is  not  very  sore,"  said  John. 
But  a  mass  of  coal  weighing  a  ton  and  a  half 
had  fallen  on  him,  pinning  him  to  the  ground 
and  breaking  his  thigh  bone,  and  six  weary 
weeks  passed  before  he  could  be  moved  from 
his  bed.  "During  this  period,"  he  writes,  "I 
read  the  whole  Bible  through  or  nearly  so.  My 
aunt  supplied  me  with  a  beautiful  copy  of  the 
'Pilgrim's  Progress'  and  with  this  and  a  torn 
copy  of  'Arabian  Nights,'  I  whiled  away  the 
weary  time,  and  from  this  acquired  a  taste  for 
reading  which  never  after  flagged.  From  this 
time  I  was  a  changed  boy.  My  books  became 
henceforward  my  chief  diversion,  and  in  this  I 
was  helped  by  my  brother  James.  As  soon  as 
I  was  able  to  use  a  crutch  I  was  sent  to  school, 
and,  with  my  mind  now  alive,  I  set  to  work  in 
right  earnest  and  in  a  few  weeks  made  such 
progress  as  to  delight  my  teacher  who  came 
along  to  inform  my  father  that  his  son  was  a 
bright  lad  and  that  it  was  a  great  pity  for  so 
promising  a  boy  to  be  doomed  to  work  down 
in  a  coal  mine.  But  what  could  the  poor  father 
do  with  his  sixteen  shillings  a  week  and  a  family 
of  seven  children  to  support?  It  pleased  him 
to  hear  his  boy  praised  by  the  teacher,  but  it 


John    Hogg  15 

grieved  him  very  hard  to  find  that  he  could  do 
nothing  for  the  lad." 

John,  therefore,  went  back  to  his  pit  life,  not  Mining  and 
to  the  scene  of  his  accident,  but  to  a  new  mine  "  ^'"^' 
of  which  his  father  was  at  this  time  appointed 
overseer  at  a  higher  salary  than  he  had  yet  re- 
ceived. Work  was  faithfully  done,  but  it  was 
in  the  evenings  that  John  lived.  A  new  teach- 
er in  the  night  school  gave  him  just  the  "lift  on" 
that  he  was  needing,  and  he  and  his  brother 
James  made  rapid  progress  in  mathematics. 
Latin  and  other  subjects.  The  family  prospects 
were  now  brighter,  and  in  1848  the  parents  took 
the  important  step  of  sending  James  to  college. 
This  acted  as  a  still  further  spur  to  John,  and 
on  James's  return  the  two  applied  themselves 
with  even  greater  vigor,  working  late  into  the 
night  at  Latin,  Greek  and  French,  although 
work  in  the  pit  had  to  begin  the  next  morning 
at  a  very  early  hour.  It  was  at  this  period,  too, 
that  John  mastered  shorthand  and  acquired  con- 
siderable proficiency  on  the  f^ute  and  fiddle. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen  John  was  received  into  ffe/igious 
the  full  communion  of  the  church.  Ever  since  ■'Z'®"*'"^®*- 
his  earliest  childhood  he  had  often  had  serious 
thoughts  about  his  soul's  salvation,  and  though 
unable  to  fix  the  exact  date  of  his  conversion, 
he  had  for  some  time  trusted  that  he  had  found 
the  Savior.  About  this  time,  however,  the  sud- 
den death  of  a  little  sister,  the  pet  of  the  family. 


1 6  In  the  King's  Service 

combined  with  a  sermon  he  had  heard  preached, 
made  a  profound  impression  on  him  and  set 
him  praying  as  he  had  never  prayed  before.  On 
his  way  to  work  in  the  morning  and  many  times 
during  the  day  he  would  kneel  down  and  pray, 
and  often  in  the  evening  he  would  go  out  and, 
kneeling  behind  a  hedge,  pour  out  his  heart  in 
long,  earnest  prayer  to  God. 
In  the  In  1849  the  dear  ambition  of  John's  heart  was 
nitfersi  y.  j-g^ij^ed  and  he  found  himself  in  Edinburgh,  with 
his  brother  James,  actually  matriculated  as  a 
student  of  the  University.  The  support  of  two 
lads  at  college  was,  of  course,  a  great  drain  upon 
the  slender  family  income,  but  it  had  long  been 
the  parents'  great  desire  that  both  lads  should 
be  ministers,  and  they  gladly  denied  themselves 
in  order  to  provide  the  needful  education. 
Lodging  was  obtained  at  the  modest  charge  of 
four  shillings  a  week,  and  by  frugal  living  and 
the  strictest  economy  the  lads  managed  to  live 
on  the  scanty  allowance  granted  them  by  their 
parents.  "This  was  a  dumb  session  to  me," 
writes  Dr.  Hogg,  "for  as  I  had  never  been  ac- 
customed to  speak  anything  but  broad  Scotch  at 
home,  I  was  afraid  of  mingling  with  my  fellow 
students  for  fear  they  should  discover  from  my 
Scottish  brogue  and  peeled  knuckles  that  I  was 
fresh  from  the  coal  mines.  I  dreaded  their 
knowing  it,  fool  that  I  was,  and  therefore  de- 
prived myself  of  much  pleasure  from  mingling 
with  kindred  spirits." 


John  Hogg  17 

A  class  of  elocution  soon  removed  the  diffi- 
culty of  accent,  and  as  time  and  practice  in- 
creased his  confidence,  John  became  popular. 

During  his  first  vacation  he  returned  to  the  ^'^  Mother's 
pit  in  the  position  of  under-manager  and  rail-  ^^ 
layer.  All  his  spare  time  he  spent  sedulously 
at  study,  even  when  down  in  the  mine,  and  the 
habit  thus  acquired  of  employing  to  advantage 
every  available  odd  minute  was  never  lost  in 
later  life.  A  great  sorrow  darkened  John's  sec- 
ond year  of  college  life  in  the  death  of  his  loved 
mother,  and  there  was  more  sadness  than  pride 
in  his  heart  when,  at  the  close  of  the  session,  he 
returned  to  his  stricken  home  bearing  with  him 
his  first  two  university  prizes. 

It  was  during  his  vacation  in  this  year,  185 1.  First 
that  he  worked  for  the  last  time  in  the  pit.     It  Missionary 
was  now  also  that  he  made  his  maiden  speech,        ''^**' 
delivering    a    missionary    address    in    Tranent 
Church  to  an  appreciative  audience,  while  his 
proud  father  stayed  alone  at  home  to  pray  for 
his  son. 

By  the  time  John's  next  vacation  came  around  Teaching, 
he  was  ready  to  earn  money  by  teaching  instead 
of  mining,  and  he  was  successful  in  obtaining 
situations,  first  in  Forfar  Academy  and,  then,  in 
Rothesay  Academy,  at  which  latter  place  he 
worked  so  hard,  rising  daily  at  4  A.  M.  to  study, 
that  for  four  years  thereafter  he  suffered  from 
severe  headaches. 


i8  In  the  King's  Service 

His  Brothers  A  year  of  heavy  trouble  followed.  James,  the 
oldest  son,  whose  heart  was  by  this  time  set  on 
becoming  a  foreign  missionary,  was  struck 
down  with  consumption.  While  he  lay  ill,  the 
father,  at  the  early  age  of  forty-five,  suc- 
cumbed to  an  attack  of  bronchitis  and  passed 
away.  This  stroke,  which  was  regarded  in  the 
neighborhood  as  a  public  calamity,  almost  para- 
lyzed the  already  stricken  family,  and  when, 
three  months  later,  James  too  was  called  away, 
their  cup  of  sorrow  seemed  full.  From  the  time 
of  his  brother's  death,  John  felt  in  a  manner 
pledged  to  dedicate  himself  to  mission  work  in 
his  brother's  stead,  and  from  this  purpose  and 
desire  he  never  swerved. 

Appointment  The  years  of  his  Divinity  Hall  course  must  be 
quickly  passed  over.  Supporting  himself  partly 
by  teaching  in  Hamilton  Place  Academy,  Edin- 
burgh, partly  by  a  bursary  which  he  gained  by 
competitive  examination,  he  worked  steadily  on 
through  three  sessions  of  his  course,  devoting 
some  of  his  leisure  time  to  the  private  study  of 
German,  which  he  picked  up  very  readily.  In 
1854  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Rev.  J.  L. 
Aikman,  secretary  of  the  Scottish  Society  for 
the  Conversion  of  the  Jews,  and  through  him 
was  invited  to  go  out  as  a  teacher  in  a  proposed 
"Protestant  Institute"  in  Alexandria.  Attracted 
by  this  opening,  John  immediately  set  to  work 
to  study  Italian  and  Arabic  and  also  to  read  up 


to 
Alexandria. 


John  Hogg  19 

all  the  books  he  could  discover  dealing  with 
Egypt.  He  declined  a  very  tempting  offer  of  the 
position  of  assistant  classical  master  in  George 
Watson's  Hospital,  a  large  Edinburgh  secondary 
school,  and  at  last,  on  the  17th  of  November, 
1856,  having  completed  four  out  of  the  five  years 
of  his  theological  course,  he  left  Edinburgh 
en  route  for  Alexandria,  where  he  arrived  on 
the  6th  of  December.  Within  nine  days  of  his 
arrival,  he  opened  a  school  in  the  house  of  Dr. 
Hermann  Philip  and  there  he  taught  for  a  few 
months,  after  which  the  school  was  moved  to  an 
old  palace  in  the  Abu  Abbas  quarter.  While 
conducting  the  school,  he  still  continued  stren- 
uously his  study  of  Arabic  and  Italian.  The 
strain  of  this  hard  work  was  not  long  in  telling 
upon  his  health,  and  becoming  utterly  unfit  for 
duty,  he  was  forced  to  leave  Alexandria  for  a 
time.  After  a  visit,  first  to  Cairo  and  then  to 
Jerusalem,  he  returned  to  Alexandria  only  to 
find  that  the  attendance  at  school  had  decreased 
greatly  during  his  absence.  Matters  improved, 
however,  when  new  premises  were  secured  near 
the  Square,  and  for  some  time  the  school  con- 
tinued very  successful,  practically  though  not 
nominally  under  the  auspices  of  the  American 
Mission. 

In  1850,  Mr.  Hogg  asked  permission  to  return  Completing 
to  Scotland  in  order  to  finish  his  theological  Theological 
course,  and  this  permission  was  granted  with  the 


20  In  the  King's  Service 

expression  of  a  strong  hope  that  he  would  re- 
turn again  to  Egypt.  His  departure  was  hurried 
at  the  last  by  the  sad  news  of  the  illness  of  his 
sister,  and  he  reached  home  just  in  time  to  spend 
a  fortnight  with  her  before  her  death. 
Shipwrecked.  After  another  session  in  the  Theological  Hall 
he  was  licensed  by  the  United  Presbyterian  Pres- 
bytery of  Edinburgh,  and  on  January  loth,  i860, 
he  was  married  to  Bessie  Kay,  the  daughter  of 
a  missionary  in  Jamaica.  On  January  27th,  the 
young  couple  set  sail  from  Liverpool  on  board 
the  S.  S.  "Scamander,"  bound  for  Egypt.  Al- 
most immediately  they  encountered  stormy 
weather,  and  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay  the  steamer 
sprung  a  leak  and  foundered  on  the  31st,  carry- 
ing to  the  bottom  all  the  worldly  goods  which 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hogg  possessed.  They  them- 
selves, along  with  the  crew  and  another  passen- 
ger, with  difficulty  escaped  with  their  lives,  and 
after  drifting  about  in  small  boats  for  about  six 
hours,  they  were  picked  up  by  a  Dutch  steamer 
bound  for  Rotterdam  and  were  landed  at  Ply- 
mouth. Their  loss  was  estimated  at  over  £300.* 
but  it  was  more  than  made  good  bv  generous 
gifts  of  kind  friends  in  Scotland  and  America. 
Within  a  month  they  once  more  started  on  their 
journey,  avoiding  the  Bay  of  Biscay  this  time 
by  traveling  overland  via  Paris  to  Marseilles, 
and  thus  they  arrived  at  Alexandria  on  March 
19th,  i860. 


*  About  1(1500.00. 


Jolin  Hogg  21 

Just  about  this  time,  the  American  mission-  Ordained. 
aries  were  authorized  by  their  General  Assembly 
to  organize  a  United  Presbyterian  Presbytery  in 
Egypt,  and  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Hogg  was  the 
first  official  act  of  this  newly  constituted  body. 

It  was  acknowledged  by  all  the  missionaries  Work  in 
that  Mr.  Hogg  particularly  excelled  in  educa-  Alexandria. 
tional  work,  and  to  this  department  he  therefore 
continued  to  devote  his  energies.  With  the  aid 
of  a  singing  class  which  he  opened. and  which 
proved  exceedingly  popular,  the  school  pros- 
pered well  under  his  supervision,  in  spite  of  op- 
position. On  June  24th,  he  preached  his  first 
discourse  in  Arabic,  and  before  long  he  found 
himself  obliged,  owing  to  the  absence  of  Dr. 
Lansing,  to  conduct  weekly  in  this  language  two 
Sabbath  services  and  also  a  week  night  prayer 
meeting.  That  he  was  able  to  do  this  with  ac- 
ceptance, in  spite  of  the  disadvantages  under 
which  he  had  labored  in  prosecuting  his  Arabic 
study,  is  a  proof  of  his  linguistic  talent;  and  the 
fact  that  in  addition  to  this  preaching  and  his 
school  supervision  he  found  time  for  a  great 
deal  of  personal  work  in  the  way  of  religious 
conversation  and  controversy  with  Egyptians 
and  Italians  in  home,  shop,  hospital  and  else- 
where, besides  establishing  a  weekly  EngHsh 
prayer  meeting,  is  a  striking  indication  of  his 
versatility  and  of  his  energy  and  devoted  zeal. 


22  In  the  King's  Service 

4  Missionary  Jn  i86i,  he  made  a  short  missionary  trip  on 
*"""■  the  Nile  below  Cairo,  but  his  first  real  mission 
tour  was  made  in  the  following  year,  and  it  was 
the  means  of  forcing  on  his  mind  the  conviction, 
which  he  never  lost  and  which  led  to  important 
results,  that  the  Coptic  Church  was  the  key  to 
the  mission  problem  of  Egypt.  During  this  tour, 
rvhich  lasted  over  two  months,  he  visited  sixty- 
three  towns  or  villages,  sold  copies  of  the  Bible 
in  forty  places,  read  and  expounded  the  Scrip- 
tures in  fifty  towns  or  villages,  had  formal  ser- 
vices in  seven,  had  conversation  with  sixty-two 
Coptic  priests,  forty  or  fifty  monks  and  two  bish- 
ops, and  left  three  colporteurs  to  sell  books  in 
the  large  towns  and  in  the  villages  around  them. 
Leaves  A  few  months  after  this,  owing  to  illness 
Alexandria,  among  the  mission  staff  at  Cairo,  Mr.  Hogg 
was  asked  to  go  there.  He  went,  meaning  to 
stay  only  a  week  or  two,  but  though  he  labored 
after  this  for  twenty-three  years  in  Egypt  he 
never  again  returned  to  his  work  in  Alexandria. 

The  year  1863  was  a  year  of  sickness  and  trial 
in  the  mission,  and  among  the  sufferers  was  Mrs. 
Hogg,  who  was  attacked  by  smallpox,  and,  dur- 
ing an  anxious  month,  was  nursed  safely  through 
it  by  her  husband. 

It  was  also  a  year  of  violent  opposition  on  the 
part  of  the  Coptic  priesthood,  and  of  great 
straits  in  the  mission  owing  to  lack  of  funds. 
In  both  these  connections  Mr.  Hogg's  powers 


John  Hogg  23 

of  eloquent   persuasion   were   called   into  play 
with  excellent  effect. 

If  the  following  year  is  to  be  characterized  ^  Strange 
in  one  word  also,  it  might  be  called  a  year  of 
romance,  for  it  fell  to  Mr.  Hogg  s  lot  to  take  a 
leading  part  in  the  negotiations  which  culmina- 
ted in  the  romantic  marriage  oi  His  Highness 
the  Maharajah  Dhuleep  Singh  to  Bamba  Muller, 
a  pupil  in  the  mission  school  at  Cairo.  On  the 
7th  of  June  Mr.  Hogg  performed  the  wedding 
ceremony,  and  shortly  afterwards,  before  sail- 
ing for  Britain,  the  Maharajah  presented  the 
mission  with  £1000*  in  Bamba's  name  as  a 
thank  offering  to  the  Lord,  along  with  a  prom- 
ise of  an  annual  gift  of  £500  for  the  remainder 
of  their  lives. 

During  this  year,  Mr.  Hogg  made  a  trip  to  Translating. 
the  Fayum,  an  oasis  of  Lower  Egypt,  and  he 
also  occupied  himself  with  translation  work, 
producing  a  text  book  for  use  in  the  theological 
seminary,  so  long  hoped  for,  and  finally  formally 
opened  in  September,  1864.  All  through  his  life 
in  Egypt,  Mr.  Hogg  constantly  busied  himself 
with  translation  work  as  far  as  his  other  mani- 
fold duties  would  allow. 

In  this  connection,  there  is  an  interesting 
note  in  his  diary  dated  31st  Dec,  1863,  in  which 
he  says  that  he  has  just  been  amusing  himself 
drawing  up  a  few  statistics,  and  has  discovered 
(i)  that  the  total  of  his  translation  work  of  vari- 

*  About  $5000.00. 


24  111  the  King's  Service 

ous  kinds  for  the  year  amounted  to  some  thirty 
chapters;  (2)  that  he  had  preached  87  sermons 
and  given  43  addresses  and  74  lectures  in  Arabic, 
and  8  addresses,  etc.,  in  English,  the  total  being 
208  or  four  each  week;  (3)  that  he  had  taught 
540  hours. 

It  is  interesting  to  set  over  against  the  above 
record  the  following  extract  from  his  diary  on 
30th  April,  1864:  "Thirty-one  years  old  to-day! 
The  thought  of  how  useless  my  life  has  hitherto 
been  oppressed  me  exceedingly." 

The  year  1865  stands  out  as  an  important  one 
in  Mr.  Hogg's  life  and  in  the  history  of  the  mis- 
sion, for  in  January  of  that  year  the  Presbytery 
resolved  that  the  mission  should  extend  its 
sphere  of  labor  into  Upper  Egypt,  and  chose 
Mr.  Hogg  to  act  as  pioneer.  As  it  was  feared 
that  no  family  could  endure  the  heat  of  an  Up- 
per Egypt  summer,  especially  at  a  distance  of  a 
fortnight's  journey  from  any  reliable  physician, 
the  enterprise  for  the  first  six  months  was  to  be 
regarded  merely  as  an  experiment. 

Assiut,  the  metropolis  of  the  Upper  prov- 
inces, was  the  place  selected  for  occupation.  It 
was  a  town  of  40,000  inhabitants  (two-thirds  of 
whom  were  Mohammedans  and  the  remaining 
third  Copts),  and  is  situated  about  400  miles 
south  of  Alexandria  and  200  miles  north  of 
Luxor,  or  about  midway  between  the  Mediter- 
ranean and  the  Tropic  of  Cancer.     Speaking  of 


John  Hogg  25 

the  vastness  of  the  field  upon  which  he  was 
entering  and  the  work  he  was  initiating, 
Mr.  Hogg  wrote:  "I  wish  I  could  trans- 
port you  for  a  moment  to  the  hills  beyond  As- 
siut  and  show  you,  not  what  Lepsius  calls  the 
best  prospect  in  all  Egypt, — the  stretch  of  the 
Nile  Valley  north  and  south  of  Assiut,  transfig- 
ured and  etherialized  under  the  blaze  of  the  ris- 
ing sun — but  the  valley  of  dry  bones,  stretching 
250  miles  to  the  north  and  400  miles  to  the 
south,  in  which,  on  the  21st  of  February,  1865, 
in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Life,  a  solitary  voice 
began  to  prophesy.  From  Cairo  on  the  one 
side  far  away  to  Assuan  on  the  other, — nay,  up 
to  Khartum  and  a  thousand  leagues  beyond — 
the  whole  valley  was  covered  with  a  dense, 
dark  gloom  without  a  glimpse  of  light  to  en- 
courage or  cheer." 

This  is  not  the  place  in  which  to  enlarge  upon  The  Coptic 
the  condition  of  the  Coptic  Church,  that  rem-  Church. 
nant  of  the  ancient  Christian  Church  of  Egypt, 
but  another  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Hogg's 
may  at  least  give  a  hint  of  the  nature  of  the 
darkness  referred  to  above.  After  giving  some 
details  concerning  the  immorality  of  the  Coptic 
clergy,  he  writes:  "These  and  other  gross  sins 
that  cannot  be  named  are  practiced  by  the 
priests  and  monks,  and  winked  at,  or  rather 
laughed  at,  by  the  richer  classes  of  the  laity; 
and    the    latter,    knowing  that    their     spiritual 


26  In  the  King's  Service 

guides  dare  not  rebuke  them,  live  as  they  list, 
well  aware  that  the  priests  will  at  any  time 
grant  them,  for  a  few  dollars  a  full  absolution 
from  all  their  sins.  It  is  true  that  few  of  the 
men  put  any  faith  in  the  priest's  power  to  ab- 
solve, and  yet  there  are  few  that  do  not  repair 
to  the  priest  at  least  once  a  year.  All  the 
women,  without  exception,  put  implicit  faith  in 
the  priest's  power  to  absolve  them  from  their 
sins,  and  their  chief  object  in  going  to  church 
is  to  have  the  officiating  priest  place  on  their 
heads  these  holy  hands  of  his  that  have  made 
and  handled  and  carried  through  the  congrega- 
tion 'the  very  identical  body  of  Christ  which  was 
born  of  the  blessed  Virgin.'  "  Profiting  from 
past  experience  the  missionaries  deemed  it  wise 
that  the  new  move  to  Assiut  should  be  made  as 
quietly  as  possible  to  avoid  arousing  Coptic  op- 
position, and  it  was  therefore  kept  secret  even 
from  the  native  Christians  in  Cairo  until  within 
a  day  or  two  of  the  departure  of  the  mission- 
ary party. 

The  journey,  which  was  made  in  a  native 
dahabiyeh,  with  no  glass  in  the  windows,  occu- 
pied fifteen  days,  and  was  attended  with  various 
trying  and  uncomfortable  experiences. 

With  the  help  of  Mr.  Wasif,  a  house  was  rent- 
ed, and,  on  March  5th,  a  beginning  was  made 
by  the  opening  of  a  school  numbering  six  boys 
and  two  girls — a  small    beginning,    indeed,   but 


John  Hogg  27 

yet  the  germ  from  which  afterwards  developed 
two  great  institutions,  the  Assiut  Training  Col- 
lege and  the  Pressly  Memorial  Institute.  Mr. 
Hogg  made  it  his  practice  at  first  to  attend  the 
Coptic  service  on  Sabbath  day.  Going  as  us- 
ual on  March  19th,  he  was  surprised  to  find  a 
large  crowd  in  attendance,  but  the  unwonted 
audience  was  soon  explained  when  a  priest 
arose  and  proceeded  to  read  aloud  a  paper  in 
which  the  Bishop  of  Assiut,  after  giving  his 
blessing  to  his  flock,  warned  them  against  send- 
ing their  children  to  the  schools  of  strangers, 
who,  while  appearing  to  be  prophets,  were  in 
reality  false  prophets,  wolves  in  sheep's  cloth- 
ing, etc. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  bitter  opposition  Opposition. 
and  persecution,  which  continued  for  long  and 
made  these  early  days  hard  days  indeed,  though 
the  details  are  too  long  and  complicated  to  be 
entered  into  here.  Mr.  Hogg  had  need  of  all 
patience,  tact,  courage  and  perseverance  to  steer 
himself  and  the  slowly  growing  Protestant  com- 
munity through  these  troublous  times,  and  it  is 
little  wonder  that  the  people  grew  to  regard 
him  with  a  love  and  esteem  amounting  to  rev- 
erence. 

While  struggling  thus  against  opposition  and  The  Angel 
misrepresentation,  Mr.  Hogg  continued  steadily  of  Death. 
at  translation  work;  but    the    weather    became 
scorchingly  hot  as  summer  wore  on,  and  cour- 


28  In  the  King's  Service 

age  and  energy  well-nigh  flagged.  Then  sorrow 
came.  On  June  29th,  a  heavy  blow  fell  in  the 
death  of  his  little  girl,  Mary  Lizzie,  at  the  early 
age  of  four.  She  was  a  sweet  and  charming 
child,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  here.  "Her 
life,"  writes  the  sorrowing  father,  "has  been  to 
us  as  an  angel's  visit,  and  her  death  as  the  open- 
ing of  the  very  gate  of  heaven." 
Cholera.  Cholera  meanwhile  was  sweeping  through 
the  country,  working  fearful  havoc,  and  Assiut 
suffered  like  other  places,  though  the  plague 
did  not  there  enter  the  mission  circle,  as  it  did 
in  Cairo  in  the  sudden  death  of  Mrs.  Lansing 
and  her  youngest  boy. 
A  Theological  In  1 866  Mr.  Hogg  was  formally  appointed 
Seminary.  Professor  of  Theology.  As  he  had  fallen  into  a 
poor  state  of  health,  a  trip  to  Scotland  was  con- 
sidered imperative,  but  he  was  asked  to  do  all 
he  could,  while  at  home,  to  raise  funds  for  the 
building  of  a  theological  seminary  in  Assiut. 
Three  months  of  his  short  furlough  were  ac- 
cordingly spent  in  collecting  money,  with  the 
gratifying  result  of  a  total  of  £500.* 
Violent  On  returning  to  Assiut,  Mr.  Hogg  lost  no 
Persecution  time  in  making  a  small  beginning  towards  his 
by  Copts,  theological  school.  He  started  with  thirteen 
pupils,  three  or  four  of  whom  were  Coptic 
monks  who,  it  was  hoped,  would,  with  some 
training,  prove  efficient  workers  among  the 
Copts.     Scarcely    had   this    work   begun    when 

*  About  $2500.00. 


John  Hogg  29 

there  was  a  new  and  violent  outburst  of  Coptic 
persecution,  evidently  carefully  planned,  and 
connived  at,  if  not  aided,  by  government  of- 
ficials. A  tour  was  made  by  the  Coptic  Pa- 
triarch for  the  express  purpose  of  crushing  out 
the  Protestant  heresy,  and  Assiut  was  one  of 
the  towns  visited.  By  acts  of  violence,  by  pub- 
lic curses,  by  threats  and  intimidations,  the  Pa- 
triarch did  all  that  was  in  his  power  to  strike 
terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  prevent 
them  from  sending  their  children  to  the  mission 
schools.  Before  leaving  the  town,  he  ordered  a 
public  burning  of  all  books  published  by  the 
Beirut  Mission  press.  Coptic  fanaticism,  how- 
ever, reached  its  height  in  the  treatment  meted 
out  to  Fam  Stephanos,  a  self  enlightened  and 
remarkable  leader  of  the  Protestant  party  in 
the  town  of  Kus.  The  story  is  too  long  and  in- 
tricate to  be  entered  into  here,*  but  it  involved 
sad  and  trying  times  for  Mr.  Hogg  and  his 
brother  missionaries,  whose  patience  and  cour- 
age were  taxed  to  the  uttermost,  and  who  had 
need  of  all  the  wisdom,  tact  and  determination 
at  their  command,  before  they  succeeded  in 
overcoming  official  indifference  or  secret  oppo- 
sition and  obtaining  redress  for  their  griev- 
ances. 

A  natural  outcome  of  this  opposition  and  per-  Secret 
secution    was    an    increase    in  the    number  of  inquirers. 
secret  disciples.     Many  friends  of  the  mission 


*  A  full  account  can  be  found  in   Watson's  "American   Mission 
in  Egypt,"  chapter  xiv. 


At  Cairo. 


30  In  the  King's  Service 

made  stealthy  nocturnal  visits,  exercising  much 
ingenuity  in  eluding  the  vigilance  of  clerical 
spies. 

In  1868  it  became  necessary  for  Mr.  Hogg  to 
leave  Assiut  for  a  few  months  in  order  to  assist 
in  Cairo  in  the  work  of  collecting  and  prepar- 
ing matter  for  the  press,  and  it  was  commonly 
reported  in  Assiut  that  he  had  taken  his  depart- 
ure for  good,  having  succumbed  to  the  vehe- 
mence of  opposition.  Those  who  circulated 
such  reports,  however,  failed  to  realize  the  un- 
daunted zeal  of  the  worker  and  the  success 
which,  slowly  and  quietly,  but  yet  surely,  was 
crowning  his  work. 
Progress  in  Jn  the  following  year  Westminster  College, 
Pennsylvania,  recognized  his  labors  by  confer- 
ring on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

In  November  of  this  year,  1869,  building  op- 
erations were  begun  in  Assiut  and  the  year  1870 
stands  out  prominently  as  the  date  of  the  open- 
ing of  the  first  Protestant  church  building  in 
Assiut,  of  the  formal  licensing  of  two  students 
of  the  theological  seminary,  and  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Assiut  congregation.  Matters  were 
thus  looking  very  promising  in  Assiut  as  far  as 
mission  work  was  concerned,  but  personal  sor- 
row came  to  Dr.  Hogg  in  the  death  of  his  young- 
est child,  and  in  1871,  when  he  went  to  Scotland, 
death  again  entered  the  family  and  took  away 
another  baby  boy. 


Assiut. 


John     Hogg  31 

It  was  during  this  furlough  that,  after  spend-  *''«''  '0 
ing  busy  months  in  Scotland,  addressing  meet-  '"^'''^"• 
ings  in  many  places.  Dr.  Hogg  and  his  wife  paid 
their  only  visit  to  America.  Over  two  months 
were  spent  there,  traveling  about  visiting  con- 
gregations, delivering  addresses  on  Egypt  and 
the  work  canied  on  there.  Great  interest  w?.s 
aroused  throughout  the  Church  and,  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  General  Assembly,  a  gold  watch  was 
presented  to  him  as  a  token  of  appreciation. 

October,  1872,  found  Dr.  Hogg  back  again  in  Spiritual 
Assiut.  He  was  grieved  to  find  that  frequent  ^^vakenings. 
changes  of  workers  during  his  prolonged  ab- 
sence had  had  an  injurious  efifect  on  the  congre- 
gation and  on  the  attendance  at  meetings  and 
Sabbath  schools,  but  after  his  return  there  was 
marked  and  steady  improvement.  Inspired  and 
led  by  him,  many  members  of  the  Assiut  church 
volunteered  their  services  for  evangelistic  work 
in  neighboring  towns  and  villages,  and  Assiut 
thus  became  a  center  of  light  foi  the  surround- 
ing district.  Dr.  Hogg  reported  as  many  as 
thirty-nine  meetings  each  week  for  prayer  and 
Bible  study  in  Assiut  and  four  neighboring 
towns.  In  Assiut  alone,  in  the  year  1873,  there 
were  in  all  624  night  meetings  held.  It  was 
characteristic  of  this  period  of  the  mission  that 
eveiy  Copt  who  adopted  evangelical  views  be- 
came himself  immediately  a  missionary  and  was 
zealous  in  trying  to  spread  the  truth  among 
others. 


32  In  the  King's  Service 

Protest  After  an  evangelistic  tour  in  the  upper  The- 
PersecuTon.  ''''^'^  '"  ^^^5-  Dr.  Hogg  was,  in  1876,  released 
from  work  for  a  while  in  order  to  devote  himself 
to  the  preparation  of  class  books  for  the  use  of 
his  theological  students.  Thinking  that  this 
work  would  be  better  prosecuted  in  a  cooler  cli- 
mate, he  came  home  to  Scotland,  and  while  there 
he  took  occasion  to  bring  to  the  notice  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  the  disgraceful  and  even 
brutal  treatment  endured  by  Protestants  at  the 
hands  of  their  Coptic  persecutors.  He  earnestly 
appealed  to  the  members  of  the  council  for  their 
interposition  in  order  to  obtain  redress  for  these 
acts  of  violence  and  for  the  other  wrongs  com- 
plained of.  As  an  outcome  of  his  representa- 
tions, a  memorial  was  drawn  up  and  signed  by 
the  council  of  the  Alliance  and  forwarded  to  his 
Highness  the  Khedive  of  Egypt.  His  Highness 
was  graciously  pleased  to  receive  this  memorial 
and  promised  to  enquire  into  the  specific  griev- 
ances cited  and  the  period  of  open  opposition 
and  injustice  was  brought  to  an  end. 

Of  the  next  few  years  there  is  little  to  report, 
beyond  steady,  hard,  faithful  work  and  steady, 
if  slow,  progress. 
Tfie  Arabi  If,  however,  this  period  was  uneventful  in  the 
'""'  history  of  the  mission,  it  was  otherwise  in  the 
political  history  of  the  country.  A^atters  were 
fast  ripening  to  a  crisis  and,  in  1882,  the  crisis 
came  in  the  rebellion  headed  by  Arabi  Pasha. 


John  Hogg  33 

The  nth  of  June  saw  the  massacre  of  Europeans 
in  Alexandria,  and  it  became  evident  that  the 
missionaries,  who  for  some  time  had  been  await- 
ing in  anxious  suspense  the  issue  of  the  disturb- 
ances throughout  the  land,  must,  like  other  for- 
eigners, be  prepared  on  a  moment's  notice  to 
escape  for  their  lives.  Loth  to  leave  until  abso- 
lutely forced  to  do  so,  they  lingered  for  a  time 
on  board  the  American  warship  "Galena,"  but 
finally  the  order  went  forth  that  all  foreigners 
must,  as  far  as  possible,  leave  the  country,  es- 
pecially women  and  children.  Passenger  steam- 
ers being  already  overcrowded  with  refugees, 
the  mission  party,  numbering  over  thirty,  had  to 
be  contented  with  such  accommodations  as  they 
could  get.  The  British  Admiral  compelled  a 
British  steamer  named  the  "Falernian"  to  re- 
ceive the  party  along  with  a  few  others,  number- 
ing all  together  forty,  and  the  only  accommoda- 
tion that  was  available  was  the  hold  of  the  ves- 
sel, originally  constructed  for  the  reception  of 
cattle.  After  an  exceedingly  trying  and  in  many 
ways  uncomfortable  voyage,  the  party  landed  in 
Liverpool  on  July  nth,  the  day  of  the  bombard- 
ment of  Alexandria.  Dr.  Hogg  stayed  only 
three  months  in  Scotland,  and  then  returned  to 
Egypt,  leaving  his  wife  and  family  behind  him  in 
Edinburgh. 

About  this  time  trouble  arose  within  the  Evan-  ^^'^^ 
gelical  Church  in  Egypt  through  the  dissemina-  ^°'^*'''"^^' 


34  111  the  King's  Service 

tion  of  PlymoLithist  doctrine,  and  the  scattering 
broadcast  throughout  the  community  of  tracts 
bearing  on  controverted  points,  and  treating 
them  in  a  manner  directly  opposed  to  the  teach- 
ing of  the  missionaries.  Into  this  Plymouthist 
controversy,  Dr.  Hogg  threw  himself  heart  and 
soul.  An  ardent  debater,  with  ready  speech 
and  a  great  power  of  clear,  convincing  argu- 
ment, he  was  the  very  man  for  the  delicate  and 
difficult  task,  and,  when  a  proposal  was  made  to 
send  a  deputation  to  visit  the  affected  congrega- 
tions, it  was  only  natural  that  he  should  be  cho- 
sen for  the  purpose. 

Before  starting  on  this  trip,  however,  he  paid 
a  flying  visit  to  Assiut.  On  the  very  night  of  his 
arrival  in  the  town,  wearied  after  a  hot  fatigu- 
ing journey  and  tired  out  with  want  of  sleep,  a 
deputation  arrived  at  the  mission  house  with  the 
request  that  he  should  come  immediately  to  ad- 
dress a  large  meeting  already  assembled  and 
awaiting  his  coming.  A  kind  friend,  however, 
intercepted  the  deputation,  and,  reminding  them 
that  Dr.  Hogg  was  after  all  only  human,  sent 
them  away  and  did  not  deliver  the  message  till 
after  meeting  had  adjourned.  In  explanation 
of  this  large  meeting  and  of  many  similar  ones 
held  at  this  time  throughout  Assiut  and  neigh- 
boring towns,  the  following  extract  from  the 
London  papers  of  December  i6th  of  this  same 
year  may  be  of  interest: 


John  Hogg  35 

"Reuter's  agent  telegraphs  from  Cairo  as  fol- 
lows: Great  effervescence  at  present  exists 
among  Mussulmans  and  Christians  in  Upper 
Egypt.  The  Copts  display  a  defiant  attitude 
and  a  popular  outbreak  is  apprehended.  The 
Egyptian  Government  is  stated  to  have  been 
warned  of  this  state  of  things  by  the  Governor 
of  Siout  (Assiut).  The  effervescence  is  said  to 
be  due  to  a  religious  propaganda  carried  on  by 
American  missionaries." 

"Had  Reuter's  agency,"  wrote  Dr.  Hogg  a  few  ^  Truer 
days  later,  "been  correctly  informed,  he  would  '^'^dgment 
have  altered  this  alarmist  dispatch  into  a  state- 
ment somewhat  as  follows:  'Great  religions  in- 
terest has  been  awakened  among  the  Christian 
population  of  Upper  Egypt,  and  in  some  places 
also  among  the  Mohammedans.  The  Copts  dis- 
play an  expectafii  attitude  and  a  general  refoi- 
tiutioii  is  anticipated.'  " 

In  point  of  fact,  a  remarkable  religious  awak-  /Remarkable 

ening  had  reallv  taken  place,  the  fruit,  no  doubt,  ^  9'0"^ 
,  ,  .     '  .         ,  ,.       ,  Interest 

of  long,  patient  sowmg,  but  immediately  occa- 
sioned by  an  alarming  outbreak  of  cholera 
which  had  roused  men's  minds  to  serious 
thoughts.  Nightly  meetings  were  being  held  in 
Assiut,  as  many  as  eight  or  nine  meetings  a 
night  sometimes,  but  at  other  times  one  mass 
meeting  such  as  the  one  Dr.  Hogg  was  asked  to 
address.  For  one  week  Dr.  Hogg  remained  at 
Assiut.  adding  the  weight  of  his  influence  and 


36  In  the  King's  Service 

his  encouragement  to  help  on  the  movement, 
but  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  had  to  leave. 
Itinerating      q„  October  3d,   1883,  he  entered  the  "Ibis" 

on  the  Nile.         ,   ,  ,  •  ,  , 

and  began  his  tour  through  the  districts  disaf- 
fected by  reason  of  the  spread  of  Plymouthist 
doctrine.  In  his  diary  he  gives  an  account  of 
the  trip,  and  a  few  extracts  from  this  may  be 
interesting  as  showing  something  not  only  of 
the  work  but  also  of  the  man. 

"October  4-8.  At  Minieh.  Average  number 
at  evening  meetings  100.  Went  on  Sabbath,  af- 
ter conducting  service  at  Minieh,  to  Beni  Ah- 
med and  gave  two  or  three  addresses,  each  com- 
pany of  newcomers  being  anxious  to  hear  some- 
thing.    Friendly  discussion." 

"October  8th.  El  Kom  el  Akhdar.  Unex- 
pected visit.  Pastor  overjoyed.  Large  meet- 
ing, 190  present." 

"October  12th.  Beyadeeyeh.  Crowded  all 
day." 

"October  13th.  Beyadeeyeh.  Again  crowded 
all  day." 
A  Strenuous  "October  14th.  Beyadeeyeh  (Lord's  Day). 
Life.  Brethren  keep  coming  from  Mellawi,  Hoor, 
Deyr  Bersha,  Deyr  Aboo  Hannis,  Tenda.  Re- 
solve to  hold  service  in  open  air.  Commenced 
at  10  A.  M.  under  a  patch  of  trees  west  of  the 
village.  Present  300  to  400.  Service  lasted  till 
a  little  after  i.  Had  little  help  even  in  the  sing- 
ing, in  which  T  had  also  to  read  the  lines.     Ex- 


John  Hogg  37 

hausting-  service.  Boat  filled  again  in  afternoon. 
.  .  .  Service  as^ain  in  evening.  .  .  .  Dep- 
utation called  and  waited  till  1.30  A.  M.  in  ani- 
mated discussion  of  the  various  controverted 
points." 

"October  15th.  Deyr  Aboo  Hannis.  Wrote 
important  letter.  Got  a  few  minutes  to  myself 
while  crossing  river.  Bundle  of  newspapers  and 
letters  unopened.  Service  under  the  stars. 
About  400  present.  Disturbed  by  dogs  occa- 
sionally.   Audience  intensely  interested." 

"October  17th.  A  busy  day!  First,  meeting  Hard  Work. 
with  enquirers.  Then  service  lasting-  over  three 
hours.  Dinner.  More  enquirers  and  discus- 
sions in  the  evening.  Up  to  town  after  sunset. 
Marriage  ceremony  at  which  whole  village  pres- 
ent. Feast  at  close,  then  back  to  boat  at  10 
P.  M.  tired  out." 

"October  20th.  Mellawi.  Discussions  all  day 
as  usual." 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  extracts  what 
arduous  work  was  involved  in  this  trip  on  the 
Nile,  and  the  picture  hinted  at,  of  incessant,  un- 
remitting toil,  gives  a  very  true  indication  of 
much  of  Dr.  Hogg's  life  in  Egypt.  He  gave 
himself  unreservedly  to  his  work  and  certainly 
did  not  spare  himself. 

The  Separatist  controversy  continued  to  oc-  Literary 
cupy  much  of  his  time  and  attention  all  through  Work. 
this  year  and,  indeed,  on  into  the  spring  of  1884. 


38  In  the  King's  Service 

In  February,  1884,  he  made  another  tour  on  the 
"Ibis,"  this  time  accompanied  by  Dr.  Lansing, 
and  again  later  by  Dr.  Harvey,  and  after  this 
we  find  him,  writing  a  long  paper  in  which  "The 
Seven  Points,"  around  which  controversy  raged, 
were  each  argued  with  great  vigor,  and  contin- 
uing the  discussion  in  private  argument  and 
public  debate. 

In  1885,  he  paid  his  last  visit  to  Scotland  and 
underwent  an  operation  which  the  state  of  his 
health  rendered  necessary. 
Visit  to  On  this  visit,  as  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit 
Scotland,  jjj  jg55^  j3j.  j^Qgg  addressed  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Synod  at  its  annual  meeting.  He  re- 
minded his  audience  that  on  the  previous  occa- 
sion he  had  just  returned  from  reconnoitering 
the  then  untried  field  of  Upper  Egypt,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  give  an  interesting  sketch  of  the  work 
accomplished  in  the  interval.  Schools  had  been 
planted  in  some  forty  of  the  principal  towns  and 
villages  in  Upper  Egypt,  attended  by  2039  pu- 
pils, and  nearly  all  independent  of  help  from 
mission  funds.  High  schools  had  been  estab- 
lished in  four  principal  districts,  and,  in  the  cen- 
ter of  all,  a  Normal  School  or  Training  College 
and  Theological  Seminary,  with  an  enrollment  of 
351  students,  260  of  whom  boarded  in  the  insti- 
tution. Volumes  of  the  Scripture  and  other 
books,  educational  and  religious,  had  been  dis- 
tributed to  the  number  of  112,000,  i.  e.,  an  aver- 


John  Hogg  39 

age  of  i8  volumes  daily  (6  days  a  week)  for  20 
years  at  20  cents  a  volume.  Besides  this, 
preaching  stations  had  been  opened  in  60  towns 
and  villages. 

Dr.  Hogg  was  accompanied  on  his  return  to  Last  ///ness. 
Egypt  by  his  wife  and  family,  who  purposed 
making  their  home,  for  some  years  to  come,  in 
Egypt.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  After  another 
winter  of  work  in  Assiut  instructing  theological 
students  throughout  the  week,  and  on  Sabbaths 
preaching  in  the  College  or  in  outlying  villages, 
Dr.  Hogg  was  taken  seriously  ill  on  February 
loth,  and,  after  two  weeks  of  severe  suffering, 
breathed  his  last. 

His  death  came  as  a  paralyzing  shock  to  all 
connected  with  the  mission.  Up  to  the  very 
end,  none  had  believed  that  he  would  really  be 
taken  away.  He  could  not  be  spared.  He 
seemed  in  fact  necessary  to  the  work. 

"The  whole  mission,"  says  Dr.  Watson,  "was 
astonished,  stunned  and  dismayed.  The  native 
brethren,  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the 
other,  wept  as  for  a  father,  while  many  were  so 
disheartened  that  they  began  to  think  that  the 
cause  of  truth  was  lost." 

The  death  occurred  on  Saturday  night,  Feb-  ffis  Death. 
ruary  27th.     At  the  Sabbath  service  next  morn- 
ing, nearly  a  thousand  people  crowded  into  the 
chapel,  while  a  large  number  collected  outside. 
In  the  midst     of  the  service,  the  Governor  of 


40  In  the  King's  Service 

Assiut  entered  with  his  suite,  and  they  were 
again  present  in  the  afternoon  at  the  funeral 
service,  on  which  occasion  "the  church  was 
packed  full  and  the  large  open  space  at  the  door 
and  the  streets  on  each  side  were  crowded  with 
people  of  all  religions  and  nationalities,  Copts, 
Moslems  and  Greeks,  vying  with  Protestants  in 
showing  their  respect  to  one  whose  good  deeds 
had  reached  men  of  every  class  and  condition. 
At  the  close  of  the  sermon  and  by  request  op- 
portunity was  given  to  the  people  to  look  for 
the  last  time  on  the  placid  face  of  the  great  and 
good  man  who  had  done  so  much  and  labored 
so  long  in  their  midst.  As  the  throng  passed 
by  in  order,  the  Governor  was  heard  to  say  to 
one  of  his  attendants,  'How  they  loved  this 
man!'  As  the  procession  formed  in  front  of 
the  church,  a  company  of  British  soldiers,  de- 
tailed for  the  purpose  by  the  commander  of  the 
garrison  in  Assiut,  aided  in  keeping  order  and 
prevented  the  crowd  from  wholly  blocking  the 
narrow  streets.  The  Governor  and  his  attend- 
ants showed  their  respect  for  the  deceased  by 
walking  to  the  city  limits.  They  were  followed 
by  a  long  procession  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
wealthy  residents  of  Assiut  and  many  from  the 
surrounding  villages." 

Dr.  Hogg  was  buried  in  the  ancient  Coptic 
cemetery  in  a  tomb  in  the  midst  of  a  sandy  des- 


John  Hogg  41 

ert,  and  a  fine  mausoleum  of  white  marble  was 
erected  over  it  by  a  generous  friend,  Mr.  Wesa 
Buktor,  a  member  of  the  Assiut  church,  who 
bore  also  all  the  expenses  of  the  funeral. 

Dr.  I.  G.  Bliss,  of  the  American  Mission  at  Estimates  of 
Constantinople,  writing  shortly  afterwards,  said:  '  ®' 

"It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  whole  land  is 
in  mourning  for  this  eminent  servant  of  God. 
He  was  the  prince  of  Bible  workers  in  this  land 
of  darkness.  For  more  than  twenty  years  he 
was  identified,  more  than  any  other  one,  with 
the  work  of  evangelism  in  Upper  Egypt.  Thou- 
sands heard  his  earnest  words  and  were  moved 
to  examine  the  Scriptures  to  see  if  his  teaching 
were  true.  One  cannot  contemplate  his  work 
without  being  deeply  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  his  was  a  large  faith,  always  looking  upward 
to  the  face  of  the  Master  and  getting  cheer  from 
his  smiles." 

This  large  faith  was  indeed  the  secret  of  his 
buoyant  courage,  and  it  was  this,  coupled  with 
his  talent  for  persevering  industry,  which  ena- 
bled him  in  his  comparatively  short  life  to  ac- 
complish "more  than  most  men  who  are  spared 
to  a  ripe  old  age."  Dr.  Strang  writes:  "I  never 
knew  a  man  who  could  more  truthfully  have 
adopted  the  language,  'The  zeal  of  Thine  house 
hath  eaten  me  up.'  It  was  the  text  that  first  oc- 
curred to  my  mind  on  hearing  of  his  death." 


42  In  the  King's  Service 

As  a  worker  "with  whom  no  man  of  ordinary 
energy  and  endurance  could  bear  comparison," 
he  was  wonderingly  admired.  As  a  "clear,  log- 
ical and  rapid  thinker,  a  fluent  and  eloquent 
speaker  and  a  ready  writer,"  he  was  acknowl- 
edged to  be  a  missionary  of  no  ordinary  power 
and  influence.  As  a  teacher,  he  won  the  admira- 
tion, respect  and  confidence  of  his  pupils  and 
stirred  their  ambition.  In  all  that  he  undertook, 
including  music,  of  which  he  was  passionately 
fond,  he  was  an  enthusiast  and  inspired  enthusi- 
asm in  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

Writing  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Dr.  Lansing 
said:  "Our  dear  brother.  Dr.  Hogg,  is  no  more 
with  us — he  has  gone  to  his  everlasting  reward. 
.  .  .  And  what  shall  I  say  more?  To  our  cove- 
nant God  I  wish  to  say  'I  am  dumb,  because 
Thou  didst  it.'  In  reference  to  the  Church  at 
home  and  the  mission  work  in  this  land,  I  can- 
not attempt  to  describe  what  seems  to  us  the 
irreparable  loss.  His  praise  is  in  all  the  churches. 
Truly  God's  ways  are  not  as  man's  ways,  nor 
His  thoughts  as  man's  thoughts!  We  take  com- 
,fort,  however,  from  the  assurance  that  God 
makes  no  mistakes  and  what  we  know  not  now 
we  shall  know  hereafter." 


Martha  J.  McKown. 


THE  ELEVATION  OF  EGYPTIAN 
WOMANHOOD. 

MARTHA  J.  McKOWN. 

Born  at  Elizabeth,  Pa.,  March  22d,  1834. 
Died  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  on  January  30TH,  1897. 

"The  Lord  giveth  the  word.  The  women  that  publish  the 
tidings  are  a   great   host." — Ps.   68:  ii. 

When  I  consider  how  my  light  is  spent 

Ere  half  my  days,  in  this  dark  world  and  wide, 
And  that  one  talent  which  is  death  to  hide, 

Lodged  with  me  useless,  though  my  soul  more  bent 

To  serve  therewith  my  Maker,  and  present 
My  true  account,  lest  He  returning  chide; 
"Doth   God   exact   day-labour,   light   denied?" 

I  fondly  ask:  but  Patience,  to  prevent 

That  murmur,  soon  replies:     "God  doth  not  need 

Either  man's  work,  or  his  own  gifts;  who  best 

Bear  His  mild  yoke,  they  serve  Him  best:   His  state 
Is  kingly;  thousands  at  His  bidding  speed, 

And  post  o'er  land  and  ocean  without  rest; 
They  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait." 

— Milton  on  his  blindness. 

"And  there  shall  be  night  no  more-;  and  they  need  no 
light  of  lamp,  neither  light  of  sun;  for  the  Lord  God  shall  give 
them  light:   and  they  shall  reign   forever  and  ever." — Rev.   22:5. 


IMPORTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
MISS  McKOWN'S  LIFE. 


1834.      Born  at  Elizabeth,  Pa.,  March  22d. 
1851.     Confessed  Christ. 
1859.     Graduated  from  Monmouth  College. 
i860.     Sailed   for  Egypt,   October  6th. 

1865.  Leaves  Alexandria  for  Assiut. 

1866.  School   opened  at   Assiut. 

1869.  Returns  to   America   on   furlough. 

1870.  Resumes  work  in  Assiut  in  autumn. 

1874.  First  boarding-school,  with  eleven  boarders,  opened  at 
Assiut,   February  23d. 

1877.     Public    examination    of    pupils,    native    girls    appearing    un- 
veiled for  the  first  time  in  presence  of  men. 
Rescue    of    Sudanese    slave    girls,    who    are    received    into 
Miss  McKown's  school. 

1881.  Leaves  for  America,  on  furlough,  in  May.  Obtains  $10,- 
000  from  Mr.  Wm.  Pressly  for  her  Girls'  College, 
which  she  named  the   Pressly  Memorial   Institute. 

1884.     Declining   health — faces   possibility   of  blindness. 

1887.      Second  operation,   unsuccessful. 

1890.     Totally  blind. 

1893.  Sends  her  resignation  to  the  Mission  Board,   December   4th. 

1894.  Leaves  Assiut  for  last  time,  April  29th. 

1895.  Enters  "Home  for  the  Aged"  in  Pittsburg. 
1897.      Dies  January   30th,   at   Pittsburg. 


II 

MARTHA  J.  McKOWN 

The  Elevation  of  Egyptian  Womanhood 
By  miss  REN  a    L.  HOGG 

Ten  years  ago,  the  inhabitants  of  iVssiut,  the 
largest  town  in  Upper  Egypt,  had  become  fa- 
miliarized with  the  passage  through  their  crook- 
ed lanes,  of  a  curious  little  vehicle,  the  first  and 
last  of  its  kind  to  be  known  among  them.  It 
was  a  small  Indian  carriage,  drawn  by  a  donkey, 
which  was  slowly  and  cautiously  led  by  a  cross- 
grained  but  trustworthy  old  man.  The  little  car- 
riage had  one  sole  occupant,  a  lady  past  middle 
age,  short,  stout,  rather  deaf  and  totally  blind, 
but  with  mind  keen  and  active,  memory  strong, 
interests  wide  and  deep,  and  a  nature  as  ardent 
i:s  on  the  day  she  first  took  up  her  life-work  in 
down-trodden  and  neglected  Egypt. 

As  the  little  jinricksha  slowly  wended  its  way 
from  house  to  house,  the  children  round  the 
doors,  proud  of  their  knowledge  and  eager  to 
do  what  they  knew  to  be  not  quite  allowable, 
v;ould  sing  out  the  name  of  its  occupant.  "Sitt 
McKowie.    Sitt    McKowie,"*    they   would   call, 


*j,"Sitt"  is  the  Arabic  equivalent  for  "Miss"  or  "Mrs". 
45 


46  In  the  King's  Service 

modifying  the  final  letter  to  suit  their  conveni- 
ence. Then  they  would  scamper  off,  mischief  in 
their  merry,  dirty  faces,  to  escape  the  virtuous 
indignation  of  the  ill-humored  but  devoted  at- 
tendant, 
^fl'we  A  day  came  when  the  vehicle  ceased  to  go 
round  on  its  errands  of  love  and  the  familiar 
form  of  its  owner  was  seen  no  more  in  Assiut. 
But  her  name  lives  on,  and  if  the  lady  mission- 
ary in  her  round  of  duties  happens  to  enter 
some  of  the  less  frequented  quarters  where  tour- 
ists and  foreigners  are  never  seen,  the  little  Arab 
urchins  still  sing  out  as  before:  "Sitt  McKowie, 
Sitt  McKowie,"  with  faces  as  dirty  and  mis- 
chievous and  hearts  as  happy  in  lawlessness  as 
were  those  of  ten  years  ago.  If  you  ask  the  lit- 
tle transgressors  who  this  "Sitt  McKowie"  is,  a 
laughing  "Do  I  know?"  will  be  their  only  re- 
sponse. The  name  has  lingered  in  the  by-ways, 
but  the  children  who  knew  her  are  children  no 
more.  They  have  left  their  mischief,  as  an  out- 
grown garment,  for  the  next  race  of  little  ones 
to  use. 

Ask  the  same  question  in  the  houses,  how- 
ever; ask  the  wives  and  the  mothers,  and  what 
will  you  be  told?  "Sitt  McKowie?  Ah,  she  was 
good!  She  loved  everybody  and  went  about  visit- 
ing in  all  the  houses.  She  asked  for  all  the  sick 
people,  and  went  to  the  mournings  and  tried  to 
get  the  women  to  go  to  church.  She  loved  us 
very  much  and  came  to  teach  us  every  week. 


Martha  J.  McKown  47 

Ah,  she  was  a  good  lady,  very,  very  good!     She 
would  go  to  heaven  straight!" 

A  loving  memory  treasured  and  reverenced 
in  humble  homes,  and  a  name  still  lingering  in 
neglected  lanes,  echoing  on  the  lips  of  those  who 
never  knew  its  owner — this  was  the  harvest  of 
love  and  of  fame  which  Miss  McKown,  the  pio- 
neer of  woman's  work  in  Upper  Egypt,  could 
claim.  For  Miss  McKown  was  the  pioneer  of 
wornan's  work  in  Upper  Egypt,  and  she  reaped 
this  harvest  of  love,  of  admiration  and  of  fame. 

Of  Miss  McKown's  early  life  we  have  the  Early  Life. 
scantiest  information.  Scouller's  Manual  in 
forms  us  that  Martha  J.  McKown  was  born 
March  22,  1834,  at  EHzabeth.  Pa.,  taught  in  the 
Sabbath  school  at  the  age  of  fourteen  and  in  a 
public  school  at  sixteen,  at  seventeen  joined  the 
church  at  New  Concord,  Ohio,  and  eight  years 
later,  in  1859,  graduated  from  Monmouth  Col- 
lege, and  became  principal  of  a  ladies'  seminary 
in  Oskaloosa,  Iowa.  From  this  position  the 
Mission  Board  called  her  in  the  following  year. 
She  gave  up  the  work  she  had  so  lately  begun 
and  in  obedience  to  the  call  which  she  recog- 
nized as  the  voice  of  her  Lord,  she  sailed  for 
Egypt  on  October  6,  i860,  with  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Ewing,  also  newly  appointed  to  the  field. 

In   i860,  there  were  two  mission  stations  in  At  Alexandria. 
Egypt,  one  at  Cairo  and  one  at  Alexandria.     A 
railway  had  recently  brought  these  two  stations 
nearer  to  each  other,  but  had  not  yet  penetrated 


48  In  the  King's  Service 

further  south  than  Cairo.  In  each  mission  sta- 
tion two  ordained  missionaries  were  at  work.  In 
Cairo  they  lived  two  miles  apart,  held  meetings 
quietly  in  their  own  houses  and  were  watching 
over  a  struggling  school  of  about  fifty  boys  and 
a  Bible  and  book  depot,  established  with  the 
help  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 
In  Alexandria  the  missionaries  lived  together, 
and  with  them  Miss  Dales,  who  had  preceded 
Miss  McKown  in  the  field,  but  whose  health 
was  in  a  precarious  condition.  Two  schools  had 
been  established  with  a  fluctuating  enrollment. 
At  this  time  about  seventy  boys  and  one  hundred 
girls  seem  to  have  been  under  instruction.  Of 
these,  some  sixty  attended  a  service  on  Sabbath 
mornings,  in  which  they  were  joined  by  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  adults.  Neither  school  had  a 
A  Crowded  building  which  would  allow  for  growth.  Many 
School.  Qf  |.j^g  gjj.jg  Yvrere  small,  an  advantage  because  it 
was  thus  possible  to  pack  a  greater  number  into 
the  limited  accommodations.  "When  they  assem- 
ble all  in  one  room,"  wrote  Dr.  Hogg,  "to  engage 
in  the  opening  and  closing  exercises,  every  inch 
of  standing  ground,  from  the  door  to  the  teach- 
er's desk,  is  occupied,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
room  gets  heated  up  like  an  oven.  When  dis- 
persed into  the  different  apartments,  they  begin 
to  breathe  more  freely,  though  all  but  the  large 
room  are  packed  to  the  door." 

It   was   to  be   an   assistant  in  this   primitive 
school,  in  a  dark  and  narrow  lane  in  Alexan- 


Martha  J.  McKown  49 

dria,  that  Miss  McKown  gave  up  promising 
openings  in  the  profession  of  teaching  in  Ameri- 
ca and  crossed  the  seas  to  a  foreign  shore. 

Such  accounts  had  reached  Egypt  of  Miss  Mc-  Timely 
Kown's  qualifications  as  made  her  arrival  spe- 
cially longed  for,  and  letters  written  later  prove 
that  the  expectations  of  the  missionaries  were 
not  disappointed.  "I  told  you,"  wrote  Dr.  Hogg, 
"that  we  were  expecting  a  young  lady  from 
America;  it  is  now  with  great  pleasure  that  I 
tell  you  of  her  safe  arrival.  Miss  McKown  seems 
to  be  just  such  a  person  as  we  had  wished  to 
have  among  us.  Her  previous  training  must 
have  been  peculiarly  adapted  to  fit  her  for  mis- 
sion work."  And  Miss  Dales  adds:  "Our 
hands  have  been  greatly  strengthened  and  our 
hearts  cheered  by  the  arrival  of  a  missionary 
whose  qualifications  and  piety  will  render  her 
eminently  u.^eful  in  her  new  sphere  of  labor." 

Miss  McKown  remained  only  five  years  in 
Alexandria,  but  during  that  period  the  girls' 
school  expel  ienced  sundry  vicissitudes.  There 
was  first  an  influx  of  refugees  from  Syria,  driven 
to  Egypt  at  the  time  of  the  great  massacres, 
an  influx  that  brought  up  the  roll  of  the  school 
from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  but 
rendered  the  work,  with  few  and  inefifcient  help- 
ers, extremely  difficult.  But  soon  the  tide  turn- 
ed. A  hundred  of  the  children  were  Jewesses, and 
some  of  these  began  to  inquire  in  their  homes 
why  their  forefathers  had  crucified  their  Mes- 


50  In  the  King's  Service 

siah.  The  Jews,  taking  alarm,  opened  two 
schools,  into  which  they  gathered  their  chil- 
dren by  threats  and  bribes.  For  a  while  the 
rooms  of  the  mission  school  contained  many 
empty  benches  and  some  pure  air.  But  by  ones 
and  twos  the  children  drifted  back  till  one  hund- 
red and  nineteen  were  again  upon  the  roll. 
//;  Sole  Almost  from  the  first.  Miss  McKown  had 
"''^^'  ceased  to  be  a  mere  assistant.  A  few  months 
after  her  arrival,  Miss  Dales  became  quite  ill, 
and  was  compelled  to  leave  Alexandria  for  the 
winter.  When  she  had  sufficiently  recruited,  a 
new  school  in  Cairo  claimed  her  help,  and  Miss 
McKown  took  over  the  full  responsibility  of 
the  Alexandria  school,  working  in  the  close  at- 
mosphere and  damp  heat  to  the  full  limit  of 
her  strength. 

These  years,  however,  full  though  they  were 
of  work  and  usefulness,  were  in  a  sense  but 
years  of  apprenticeship  for  the  real  labor  of 
her  life.  It  was  impossible,  from  Alexandria, 
to  touch  the  true  heart  of  Egypt.  It  was  im- 
possible to  make  of  a  school,  whose  pupils  were 
drawn  from  the  medley  of  foreign  nationalities 
that  jostled  each  other  at  Egypt's  outer  door,  a 
lever  that  would  raise  Egyptian  womanhood  to 
a  higher  plane.  In  1865,  Miss  McKown  turned 
her  face  southward.  At  her  own  request,  she 
was  appointed  to  Assiut  and  accompanied  Dr. 
Hogg  and  his  family  established  a  new  center 


Martha  J.  McKown  51 

of  Protestant  influence  in  the  very  heart  of  Up- 
per Egypt. 

Assiut  is  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  south  Ass:ut. 
of  Alexandria.  The  first  hundred  miles  were 
speedily  covered,  but  at  Cairo  the  railway  ter- 
minated, and  it  was  necessary  to  make  the  re- 
mainder of  the  journey  by  river  in  a  small  daha- 
biyeh  of  the  rudest  sort.  The  roof  of  the  tiny 
apartment  at  the  stern,  set  apart  for  Miss  Mc- 
Kown's  use,  was  so  low  that  she  could  not  stand 
erect,  but  here  she  enjoyed  the  company  of  hap- 
py thoughts.  The  whole  party  were  full  of  joy 
and  hope.  In  after  years,  Miss  McKown  loved 
to  recall  thDse  weeks.  It  seemed  that  never  in 
her  life  had  she  been  so  glad  of  heart.  Each 
day  brought  new  experiences  and  new  glimpses 
of  Egyptian  peasant  life.  The  life  before  them 
seemed  bright  with  limitless  possibilities.  Everv- 
where  about  them  they  saw  the  waiting  fields, 
and  the  fact  that  God  had  sent  them  forth  as 
laborers  seem.ed  the  earnest  of  a  harvest  to  be 
gathered  in. 

At  last  Assiut  was  reached,  and  the  mission- 
aries were  accommodated  temporarily  in  the 
house  of  Mr.  Wasif  Khayatt,  who  was  already 
secretly  a  Protestant,  and  held  the  position  of 
American  Consular  Agent  at  the  time. 

As  this  town-  was  to  be  Miss  McKown's  fu- 
ture home,  it  will  be  well  to  get  a  picture  both 
of  what  it  is  and  what  it  was;  the  more  so,  be- 
cause the  towns  of  Upper  Egypt  resemble  each 


52  In  the  King's  Service 

other  so  much  in  their  general  characteristics, 

that,  seeing  one,  we  may  be  said  in  a  measure 

to  have  seen  them  all. 

The  New      'pj^g  inhabitants  of  Assiut  are  rated  at  present 
Assi  ut 

at  fifty  thousand,  but  the  town  has,  of  course, 

shared  in  the  increase  that  has  doubled  the 
population  of  Egypt  within  the  last  forty-five 
years.  There  is  a  new  Assiut  growing  outside 
of  the  old  boundaries.  Fine  houses  and  pleasant 
gardens  are  springing  up  everywhere,  and  many 
public  buildings,  prominent  among  them  mis- 
sion buildings,  attract  the  attention  of  the  trav- 
eler. Beyond  these,  through  the  pleasant  months 
of  winter,  stretch  north  and  south  the  rich 
green  fields,  skirted  on  the  east  by  the  broad 
river,  ever  studded  with  white  sails.  Dykes  run 
in  different  directions,  bordered  by  young  trees, 
which,  though  of  no  account  at  present,  prom- 
ise shady  avenues  for  the  future.  Towards  sun- 
set the  principal  dykes  become  lively  with  car- 
riages. The  wealthier  inhabitants  go  out  for 
their  daily  drive,  perhaps  along  the  bank  of  the 
Nile,  or  more  hkely  to  the  new  many-gated 
bridge  and  oam  which,  a  mile  to  the  north,  keeps 
the  water  of  the  river  under  lock  and  key.  From 
here  the  oM  town  itself  looks  beautiful,  its  palm 
trees  and  minarets  standing  in  clear  outline 
against  a  background  of  low  limestone  hills  and 
ever-changing  sky. 

In  strong  contrast  to  the  spacious  and  mod- 


Martha  J.  McKown  53 

ern  appearance  of  new  Assiut  stands  old  Assint  Old  Assiut. 
in  large  degree  untouched  by  the  passage  of  the 
years.  Once  confined  within  the  Hmits  of  a  wall, 
its  houses  are  huddled  together  as  though  every 
inch  of  soil  were  precious.  There  is  that  curious 
irregularity  about  it  that  belongs  to  old  towns 
everywhere,  but  is  especially  characteristic  of 
the  East.  Each  house  shapes  itself  without  re- 
gard to  its  neighbor's  position,  height  or  angles. 
High  or  low,  straight  or  crooked,  plastered  or 
of  crumbling  brick,  they  are  crowded  together 
in  confusion,  looking  in  some  quarters  as 
though,  after  they  were  built,  the  ground  had 
received  a  jar  that  threw  everything  a  little  out 
of  gear.  Here  the  plaster  is  peeling  off,  there 
a  wall  of  sun-dried  brick  lies  in  ruins,  the  upper 
stories  overhang  the  lower,  and  no  two  build- 
ings are  at  the  same  angle  with  the  street. 

There  is  still  another  point  of  view  from  which  a  House 
to  regard  Assiut.  Station  yourself  on  the  fiat  Top  View. 
roof  of  one  of  its  higher  dwellings,  and  imme- 
diately the  town  assumes  a  different  aspect.  Its 
crooked  lanes  disappear,  and  every  house  is 
touched  by  other  houses  on  each  of  its  four 
sides.  Imagine  a  honey  comb  with  cells  vary- 
ing in  form  and  size,  and  you  have  the  apparent 
arrangement  of  the  city.  Woman's  life  lies  open 
before  you — woman's  life  as  it  is  lived  by  all  but 
the  wealthier  classes.  It  is  a  life  that  is  lived 
largely  in  the  open — not  in  the  rooms  so  much 
as  in  the  courts  and  on  the  flat  roofs  of  the 


54  In  the  King's  Service 

dwellings.  Women  washing,  baking,  cooking, 
women  mourning,  smoking,  gossiping,  women 
tending  the  cattle,  and  women  nursing  their  ba- 
bies— any  or  all  of  these  things  may  be  seen 
from  such  a  point  of  view. 

But  look  deeper  and  you  will  see  women  ex- 
isting, not  living,  idling  their  lives  away  when 
wise  and  patient  industry  would  change  a  dwell- 
ing into  a  home,  carelessly  indulgent  and  fool- 
ishly passionate,  ruining  the  children  who  are 
to  be  the  hope  of  the  future. 

It  was  not  modern  Assiut,  but  this  old  Assiut 
that  we  have  viewed  from  the  housetops,  that 
cast  its  spell  over  Miss  McKown's  heart.  It  was 
for  this  town  and  countless  others  like  it,  that, 
for  thirty  years,  she  worked  and  prayed.  This 
closely-packed  labyrinth  of  a  city  became  the 
dearest  place  on  earth  to  her. 

The  missionaries  made  their  first  home  in  a 
native  house  that  Mr.  Wasif  Khayatt  rented  for 
them.  It  was  just  such  a  haphazard,  irregular 
building  as  those  we  have  described,  and  pack- 
ed in  among  others  of  its  kind.  For  the  first 
time.  Miss  McKown  found  herself  in  the  very 
center  of  a  strictly  Egyptian  population,  simple 
and  kindly  for  the  most  part,  though  densely  ig- 
norant, unimproved,  but  also  unspoiled  by  con- 
tact with  the  West. 

How  to  get  into  vital  touch  with  the  women 
around  was  the  first  problem  to  be  solved.  Cu- 
riosity brought  many  to  the  house,  and  such 


Martha  J.  McKown  55 

visits  could  be  returned,  but  curiosity  when  sat- 
isfied loses  its  edge,  and  means  must  be  used 
that  would  establish  relations  more  sympathetic 
and  enduring.  Hope  naturally  turned  to  the 
young,  and  one  room  in  the  house  was  imme- 
diately set  apart  as  a  girls'  schoolroom. 

The  school  opened  with  three  pupils,  but  be-  Opening 
fore  long  there  were  thirty  on  the  roll.  A  few  "  School. 
of  these  giris  had  already  learned  the  alphabet 
at  a  native  school  for  boys.  They  now  made 
rapid  progress,  so  that  in  a  short  time  Miss  Mc- 
Kown had  a  class  of  ten  or  twelve  who  could 
read  the  Bible  and  "Line  Upon  Line,"  which  had 
just  then  been  translated  into  Arabic.  The  pleas- 
ure of  the  girls  in  the  simple  Bible  stories  was 
only  exceeded  by  the  teacher's  pleasure  in  their 
progress,  and  as  they  repeated  at  home  to  their 
mothers  everything  they  learned,  there  was  soon 
a  little  circle  of  women  whose  curiosity  in  re- 
gard to  the  newcomers  had  been  replaced  by 
a  genuine  interest  and  respect. 

The  missionary  party  had  reached  Assiut  on  ffgatand 
February  20th,and  summer  was  close  at  hand.  As  Cholera. 
month  followed  month,  the  heat  grew  more  in- 
tense, and  the  house  was  not  so  built  as  to  af- 
ford much  protection  from  it.  This  heat  with 
its  attendant  ills  thinned  the  ranks  of  the  schol- 
ars, and  it  was  only  those  who  had  made  the 
greatest  progress,  whose  interest  did  not  flag. 
When  at  length,  towards  the  end  of  August, 
the  rising  waters  of  Egypt's  annual  inundation 


56  In  the  King's  Service 

gave  promise  of  cooler  days  to  come,  a  terri- 
ble scourge  of  cholera  swept  down  upon  the 
town.  Out  of  every  forty,  one  was  taken  and, 
as  an  Egyptian  woman  must  attend  the  mourn- 
ing of  even  her  most  distant  relative,  there  was 
not  a  household  in  Assiut  but  had  mourning 
rites  to  perform.  Wailing  was  heard  on  every 
hand.  In  the  silent  nights,  sudden  shriekings 
from  some  i;ew  quarter  would  announce  that  the 
Angel  of  Death  had  entered  another  house.  It 
almost  seemed  as  though  God  v/as  again  at  con- 
troversy with  Egypt,  and  the  Reaper  was  gath- 
ering every  first  born.  And  while  this  wild  and 
unrestrained  grief  was  raging  without,  the  mis- 
sionaries met  with  their  first  bereavement.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Hogg's  eldest  daughter,  a  little  girl  of 
four,  was  taken  home  after  a  few  days'  illness. 
The  disease  was  croup,  and  had  to  be  fought 
without  a  doctor's  help.  The  little  one  had  been 
singularly  attractive  and  by  her  happy,  lively 
dispostion  and  loving  ways  had  won  a  warm 
place  in  many  hearts. 

To  Miss  McKown,  it  was  as  if  her  sister's  child 
had  died,  and  that  child  almost  as  dear  to  her  as 
if  she  were  her  own.  She  always  identified  her- 
self with  the  family  with  which  she  lived  in  such 
a  way  thai  its  joys  and  sorrows  became  her 
own,  its  slightest  interest  a  personal  concern. 

The  younger  child  was  next  laid  low,  and  for 
a  month  continuous  nursing  had  to  be  added  to 
other  cares.     At  last,  having  persistently  stuck 


Martha  J.   McKown  57 

to  their  post  while  every  circumstance  was 
against  them,  they  were  forced,  in  the  glorious 
weather  of  early  December,  to  abandon  it  in 
search  of  health.  It  was  some  years  before,taught 
by  hard  experience,  they  reluctantly  accepted 
it  as  a  fact  that  for  the  sake  of  their  work  they 
must  leave  their  work  during  the  hottest  months 
of  summer. 

Meanwhile  the  history  of  the  little  school  was  Spiritual 
somewhat  varied.  It  was  open  for  only  five  ^^^"'*^- 
months  in  1866,  and  the  attendance  ranged  from 
five  to  fifteen.  Next  year,  during  six  and  a  half 
months,  fifty-nine  were  enrolled,  of  whom  thirty 
were  Moslems  and  the  remainder  Copts;  but  the 
attendance  fluctuated  between  twelve  and  twen- 
ty. In  1868,  the  attendance,  though  steadier, 
never  rose  above  eighteen.  An  earnest  spirit, 
however,  was  evident.  Most  of  the  pupils 
were  daughters  of  converts  or  relatives 
of  young  men  who  were  under  training 
for  the  ministry.  Five  had  joined  the 
church  and  led,  in  turn,  in  prayer  at  the  open- 
ing and  closing  of  the  school.  Three  went  to 
different  houses  to  teach  women  who  were  anx- 
ious to  learn  to  read,  and  four,  providing  their 
own  bread  and  clothing,  were  allowed  to  board, 
in  a  simple  way,  within  the  building,  and  so 
brought  under  an  influence  more  close  and  con- 
stant. 

This  year,  therefore,  we  see  for  the  first  time,  A  Girls' 
in  this  little  school,  a  minature  of  the  girls'  col-  Co/%e. 
lege  of  the  future.     At  last  its  main  character- 


58  In  the  King's  Service 

istics  were  all  present.  Its  pupils  were  drawn 
from  a  Christian  community.  They  were  to  be 
trained  that  they  in  their  turn  might  train  oth- 
ers, either  by  word  and  work,  or  by  the  power  of 
a  changed  life;  and  this  training  was  to  be  per- 
fected where  possible,  by  taking  the  pupils  en- 
tirely away  from  their  old  surroundings,  and  al- 
lowing them  to  live  day  and  night  in  a  new  at- 
mosphere. Meanwhile  they  would  be  neither 
pauperized  nor  Westernized,  for  they  had  to 
provide  at  least  their  own  clothes  and  food,  and 
no  change  was  made  in  their  style  of  life  but 
such  as  was  necessary  in  order  to  greater  clean- 
liness and  order. 

It  may  be  that  the  school  had  assumed  this 
character  as  the  mere  result  of  circumstances, 
rather  than  as  the  outcome  of  a  definite  plan 
on  the  part  of  the  missionary,  but  it  was  not 
long  before  Miss  McKown  grasped  the  situa- 
tion, and  responded  to  it,  adopting  that  clearly 
defined  policy  that  Dr.  Hogg  was  following  with 
signal  success. 

Her  work,  however,  was  interrupted  by  a  nec- 
essary furlough  in  America  just  as  this  interest- 
ing stage  was  reached.  When  she  returned  in 
the  autumn  of  1870,  she  found  herself  reheved 
somewhat  from  the  daily  class  work  of  the 
school,  by  the  arrangement  that  had  been  made 
for  it  during  her  absence.  A  Syrian  helper  un- 
dertook a  large  proportion  of  the  teaching  for 
the  next  two  years,  and  she  was  free  to  de- 


Martha  J.  McKown  59 

vote  her  main  strength  to  house-to-house  work 
among  the  women. 

In  a  work  so  absorbing  as  this,  and  a  field  so  ^^^  Present 

vast,  it  would  have  been  easy  for  one  of  Miss  ""      ® 

.  Future. 

McKown's  ardent  temperament,  with  her  pow- 
er of  winning  her  way  into  women's  hearts,  to 
have  lost  sight  of  more  distant  issues,  and  thus, 
while  laboring  devotedly  for  the  present,  to 
have  reaped  in  the  end  a  much  smaller  harvest. 
But  Miss  McKown  was  saved  from  this  mis- 
take. Her  own  clear  judgment,  aided  by  the 
influence  of  her  fellow-laborers,  led  her  to  take 
a  broad  view  of  her  field  and  enabled  her  to  ar- 
rive at  a  clear  conception  of  the  extent  of  the 
problem  to  be  faced. 

More  th^ai  nine-tenths  of  the  population  of  A  Strategic 
Egypt  are  Moslems  and,  roughly  speaking,  for  Pof'cy- 
every  twelve  Moslems  there  is  one  Copt.  The 
missionaries  found  the  Copts  Christian  in  noth- 
ing but  the  name.  They  found  them  priest- 
ridden,  superstitious,  ignorant  and  corrupt.  The 
Moslems  despised  them,  not  only  because  they 
were  a  conquered  race,  but  because  the  lifeless 
and  mutilated  religion  they  clung  to  deserved 
contempt,  an'l,  despising  them,  they  despised 
also  the  Chiistianity  they  pretended  to  repre- 
sent. To  convince  the  Moslem  that  Jesus  is 
divine,  this  Coptic  valley  of  dry  bones  must  be 
breathed  upon  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  gos- 
pel of  Christ  must  prove  itself  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  the  Copt  first,  then  also 


6o  In  the  King's  Service 

to  the  Moslem.  The  little  Protestant  church, 
newly  planted  in  the  land,  must  be  made  for  the 
Moslems,  if  for  no  other  reason,  the  very  oppo- 
site, in  every  point,  of  the  old  church  which  they 
despised,  it  had  been  ignorant,  this  must  be 
educated ;  its  worship  had  been  elaborately  cere- 
monial, this  must  be  simple  and  spiritual;  it  had 
cared  for  itself  alone,  this  must  be  trained  to  be 
an  army  of  workers.  Such  a  church  would  be  an 
instrument  with  which  God  could  work  miracles. 
To  turn  the  whole  attack  against  Mohammedan- 
ism, to  the  neglect  of  these  Copts,  would  be  like 
attempting  to  cut  down  an  oak  with  a  sharp 
penknife  while  a  blunt  ax  and  a  grindstone  lay 
ready  to  hand.  The  early  missionaries  wisely 
planned  to  sharpen  the  blunt  ax,  stained  with  the 
rust  of  centuries,  and  then  to  guide  its  strokes 
towards  the  felling  of  that  tree  whose  branches 
had  so  long  spread  darkness  over  the  land  and 
harbored  every  evil  vice. 

Pioneers,  we  have  said,  must  be  people  who  in 
an  unpromising  present  have  a  vision  of  a  radiant 
future,  and  can  work,  wisely  and  hopefully 
through  dark  days,  to  make  this  ideal  real.  In 
the  years  whose  history  we  are  tracing,  when 
the  missionaries  at  Assiut  dreamed  dreams,  what 
was  it  that  they  saw? 
A  Vision  of  They  saw  established  in  this  center  two  institu- 
the  Future,  tions  growing  side  by  side,  one  for  young  men 
and  ti'iv  other  for  young  women.  They  saw  them 
increasing  in  stability  and  usefulness,  lengthen- 


Martha  J.  McKown  6i 

ing  their  cords  and  strengthening  their  stakes, 
till  they  sheltered  under  their  roofs  young  men 
and  women  from  the  very  limits  of  Egypt,  and 
included  in  their  curriculum  all  the  subjects  nec- 
essary for  a  broad  and  solid  education.  They 
saw  these  institutions  Christian  to  the  very  core, 
deeply,  aggressively  Christian,  keeping  ever  be- 
fore their  pupils,  as  the  very  object  of  their  ex- 
istence, the  winning  of  Egypt  for  Christ.  They 
saw  them  making  ministers,  evangelists,  Bible- 
women  and  teachers — agencies  suited  to  the  peo- 
ple and  within  the  ability  of  their  poverty  to  sup- 
port. They  saw  the  darkness  of  Egypt  brighten- 
ed by  the  light  of  Christian  homes,  owing  the 
power  that  keeps  them  sweet  and  pure  to  a 
training  received  within  college  walls. 

Their  dreams  have  long  since  been  in  large 
part  realized,  and  the  institutions  they  founded 
are  still  conducted  on  the  lines  then  laid  down. 
How  wisely  they  planned  is  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  to-day  there  are  224  mission  stations, 
of  which  213  are  manned  by  natives  alone,  and 
that  the  present  total  of  native  workers  is  438, 
of  whom  the  large  majority  have  received  their 
training  at  Assiut.  What  the  statistics  would 
have  been  had  the  early  missionaries  allowed 
their  hunger  for  souls  to  blind  them  to  the  duty 
of  training  the  saved  to  become  soul-winners,  it 
is  impossible  for  us  to  guess. 

In  the  annual  report  for  1874  there  are  two  Earnest 
passages  of  special  interest.    The  one  is  penned  Appeals. 


62  In  the  King's    Service 

by  Miss  McKown  and  entitled  "Pressing  Need 
For  Girls'  Boarding  School."  The  other  is  an 
appeal  by  Dr.  Hogg  that  Assiut's  "Literary 
Academy  '  be  given  a  chance  to  grow  into  a  train- 
ing college.  The  first  appeal  is  warm  and  earnest, 
the  second  is  fairly  scorching,  and  both  are  cal- 
culated to  carry  conviction  to  the  reader.  The 
two  schemes  received  at  once  the  approval  of  the 
Board,  and  as  much  money  aid  as  the  Church's 
exchequer  could  afiford. 

In  1870,  the  missionaries  had  left  their  first 
home  for  a  flat  built  over  the  new  Protestant 
ch.irch,  just  beyond  the  west  gate  of  the  town. 
To  the  right  of  this,  stood  the  brick  building-  in 
which  the  Literary  Academy  was  uncomfortably 
accommodated.  To  the  left  stood  a  native  house 
whi  n  could  be  entered  from  the  missionaries' 
residence.  The  latter  was  now  rented  and  the 
new  school  was  opened  in  it  on  February  23, 
1874,  with  eleven  boarders,  eight  from  Assiut 
and  three  from  Nakhaleh.  By  the  close  of  the 
year  the  number  had  more  than  doubled  and 
seven  difTerent  towns  were  represented. 
Trained  "Twenty  of  the  girls  are  from  Protestant  fam- 
to  Work.  j]jg^  ,.  j^/jjj^^  McKown  writes,  "and  the  others  are 
daughter.":;  of  enlightened  Copts.  All  but  four 
provide  their  own  clothes  and  their  bread,  which 
constitutes  two-thirds  of  the  whole  cost  of  their 
food.  As  we  do  not  wish  to  accustom  the  girls 
to  what  we  cannot  expect  them  to  have  in  their 
future  homes,  we  have  furnished  the  house  in  a 


Martha  J.  McKown  63 

very  plain  style.  The  beds  are  laid  on  the  floor, 
and  the  meals  are  taken  from  low,  round  tables, 
without  the  use  of  knives  and  forks.  The  board- 
ing school  consists  of  three  rooms,  a  pantry  and 
a  kitchen.  These  have  to  be  used  for  recitation, 
dining  and  sleeping  rooms.  The  flat  roof  serves 
for  a  play-ground. 

"No  servant  being  employed  in  the  establish- 
ment except  one  for  marketing,  all  the  domestic 
work  of  the  school  is  done  by  the  boarders,  and 
the  larger  girls  are  taught  to  starch  and  iron, 
and  lo  do  the  morning  work  in  Mr.  Hogg's 
house.  No  exceptions  are  made  in  this  matter 
in  favor  of  any  one.  Not  only  are  the  girls  con- 
tented, but  happy,  and  they  have  made  commend- 
able progress  in  the  ordinary  branches  of  study, 
as  well  as  in  acquiring  habits  of  cleanliness  and 
order." 

In   1875,  she  had  to  refuse  girls  for  lack  of  Egyptian 
room  and  was  making  efforts  to  get  a  larger  ^o"^<^"l^ood 

house.    In  1876,  building  had  to  be  undertaken,  Z^  ^f '""'""' 

,.,,..,  ^      ,      .  '  Education. 

and  SIX  additional  rooms,  a  bath-room,  oven  and 

play  ground  put  the  school  on  a  better  footing 
and  rendered  possible  many  improvements.  In 
1877,  an  innovation  was  decided  upon  and  car- 
ried through,  with  many  misgivings  but  with  en- 
tire success.  A  public  examination  was  held,  and. 
for  the  first  time  in  Upper  Egypt,  native  girls  ap- 
peared unveiled  before  an  audience  of  men.  To 
the  majority  of  the  Copts  and  Moslems  present, 
what  they  saw  was  little  short  of  a  revelation. 


64  In  the  King's    Service 

The  girls  answered  bravely  and  carried  them- 
selves well.  The  men  were  charmed.  For  the 
first  time,  it  occurred  to  them  that  Egyptian 
women  were  not  inherently  lower  than  others, 
that  all  that  they  wanted  was  time  and  opportu- 
nity to  rise. 

In  1878,  the  boarding  school  was  full,  though 
a  monthly  tuition  fee  of  25  cents  had  been  de- 
manned.  The  house  had  been  enlarged  to  its 
utmost  capacity;  the  walls  were  giving  way;  and 
yet  no  more  than  28  boarders  and  34  day-schol- 
ars could  be  suitably  accommodated  and  the 
painful  duty  of  refusing  applicants  became  fre- 
quent. From  this  time  forward,  each  report  con- 
tains an  appeal  from  Miss  McKown  for  a  per- 
man(*nt  building,  a  building  in  which  there  would 
be  room  to  grow  and  which  would  be  more 
worthy  of  the  ideal  towards  which  she  was 
working.  To  obtain  this  became  ever  more  ab- 
sorbingly her  heart's  desire. 
Milestones  of  There  were  other  milestones  different  in  char- 
Experience.  ^cter  from  those  which  we  have  mentioned. 
There  were  days  when  one  and  another  of  the 
boarding  school  household  made  public  profes- 
sion of  their  faith,  and  an  earnest  interest  in 
spiritual  things  gladdened  the  hearts  of  the  mis- 
sion circle.  There  were  days,  when  one  and 
another  went  out  from  the  parent  home  to  es- 
tablish homes  of  their  own,  such  homes  as 
were  new  in  Egypt;  and  two  of  the  number,  after 
giving  a  bright  example  of  patience  in  suffering 


Martha  J.  McKown  65 

and  of  faith  in  the  valley  of  shadow  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  home  above.  There  were  days  also 
when  girls  were  sent  out,  with  prayers  and  fears 
and  earnest  counsels,  to  become  teachers  of 
others,  where  prejudice  was  strong  against  any 
woman  attempting  such  work  and  where  the 
smallest  indiscretion  would,  by  the  power  of 
many  tongues,  be  magnified  into  a  crime.  In 
1880,  Miss  McKown  reports  that  out  of  fifty-five 
girls  who  had  been  received  into  the  boarding 
school  since  its  establishment  in  1874,  thirteen 
had  been  engaged  in  teaching;  three  had  be- 
come teachers  within  its  walls  and  two  were  at 
work  in  the  Assiut  day  school,  which  was  now 
enrolling  165  pupils. 

Meanwhile,  one  incident  had  occurred  that 
b.oke  in  on  the  school-life  with  something  of 
thrill  and  excitement. 

It  was  in  May  of  1877,  towards  the  close  of  a  s/ave 
busy  day.  The  missionaries  had  just  returned  Dealers. 
from  the  usual  evening  service,  always  attended 
by  the  boys  and  girls  of  both  schools,  and  were 
taking  a  little  breathing  spell  before  settling 
down  to  their  remaining  duties,  when  some 
school  boys  entered  in  a  state  of  agitation.  They 
wore  black  boys — fine  fellows,  of  whom  much 
was  expected  in  the  future.  They  had  been 
brought  from  the  Sudan  by  Lord  Aberdeen, 
were  freed  from  slavery  and  were  being  support- 
ed and  educated  at  his  expense.  Their  story 
was  that,  returning  from  service,  their  attention 


66  In  the  King's  Service 

had  been  attracted  by  two  evil-looking  Arabs, 
who  had  with  them  three  black  girls,  from  twelve 
to  sixteen  years  of  age,  whose  appearance  sug- 
gested that  they  were  new  arrivals  from  the  far 
south.  They  had  noted  them  closely  enough  to 
feel  assured  that  the  men  were  slave-dealers,  and 
had  come  to  secure  Dr.  Hogg's  aid  in  rescuing 
the  girls  fiom  their  captors.  A  recent  agree- 
ment with  England  had  rendered  the  introduc- 
tion of  new  slaves  into  Egypt  illegal,  punishable, 
indeed,  by  tr^msportation  to  the  White  Nile,  a 
euphonious  synonym  for  death;  but  not  with- 
standing that,  there  were  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  rescue.  Dr.  Hogg  showed  the  boys  that  if  he 
should  try  to  take  the  girls  away  by  force,  the 
men  would  declare  them  to  be  their  wives,  not 
slaves,  an  J  might  frighten  the  girls  into  acquies- 
cence. To  persevere  in  the  rescue  without  proof 
might  involve  the  mission  in  troublesome  litiga- 
tion. '"But,"  he  added,  "if  the  girls  sought  pro- 
tection in  our  house  and  would  affirm  that  they 
were  slaves,  we  would  do  our  utmost  to  protect 
them."  The  boys  interpreted  the  answer  accord- 
ing to  the  spirit  of  the  speaker.  They  took  it  to 
mean.  "I  represent  a  mission  and  must  not  drag 
its  name  into  anything  in  which  the  law  would 
not  uphold  me.  But  you  are  free  men.  Do 
whatever  the  manhood  in  your  blood  prompts 
you  to  do  and  be  sure  of  our  support." 
A  Rescue  A  little  later,  men  and  girls  found  themselves 
Party,  fallowed  bv  six  stalwart  lads,  each  armed  with 


Martha  J.  McKown  67 

a  heavy  club.  The  men  immediately  took  to 
flight,  leaving  the  girls  to  their  rescuers  without 
the  striking  of  a  blow.  A  few  words  revealed 
the  fact  that  rescuers  and  rescued  had  a  country 
and  language  in  common,  and  that  the  girls  were 
the  last  of  a  gang  of  slaves  who  had  been  stolen 
from  their  home,  brought  north  by  a  weary 
journey  along  desert  roads,  and  were  being  sold 
off  secretly  in  Egypt.  The  boys,  having  explain- 
ed to  them  to  whom  they  were  taking  them,  and 
the  kmdness  that  they  might  expect,  brought 
thf^ni  to  the  mission  house  and  Dr.  Hogg  de- 
livered them  over  to  Miss  McKown's  care. 

Under  the  single  peasant's  gown,  placed  on 
them  by  way  of  disguise,  they  still  wore  their 
original  Sudanese  costume,  a  little  apron  of 
fringed  leather  and  a  string  of  beads.  For  the 
rest  they  were  clothed  in  evil-smelling  oil,  with 
whirh  also  their  hair,  plaited  into  a  thousand 
braids,  was  saturated.  A  bath  was  the  first  es- 
sential and  when  this  was  followed  by  clean 
clothing  and  good  food,  the  girls  began  to  real- 
ize that  they  had,  indeed,  reached  a  haven  of 
rest.  Later  in  the  evening  a  stormy  interview 
occurred  between  the  missionary  and  the  two 
men,  who  presented  themselves  under  the  guise 
of  aggrieved  husbands,  resolved  to  regain  pos- 
session of  their  legal  wives.  But  the  girls  were 
finally  brought  in  and  allowed  to  make  their 
own  choice,  and  when  they  declared  the  men  to 
be  slave-dealers,  refused  to  go  with  them  and 


68  In  the  King's  Service 

sought  the  protection  of  the  missionaries,  the 
men  begar  to  realize  themselves  to  be  in  a  posi- 
Evil  tion  of  some  danger.  They  stopped  their  bra- 
Overawed.  yado  and  when  Dr.  Hogg  warned  them  that 
should  they  make  any  further  effort  to  secure 
the  girls  or  interfere  with  them  in  any  way  in 
the  future,  he  would  hand  them  over  to  justice 
and  sec  that  they  received  the  full  measure  of  the 
law,  they  were  glad  to  escape  unmolested  and 
departed  to  be  seen  again  no  more. 

Three  years  later  the  three  girls  were  bap- 
tized and  their  earnest  Christian  lives  have  since 
fulfilled  the  promise  of  that  day.  The  eldest  act- 
ed as  nurse  for  some  time  in  a  mission  family, 
and  aftc  a  short  experience  of  married  life,  died. 
The  other  two  showed  considerable  ability  and 
were  etnployed  in  the  school  to  which  they  owed 
so  much.  One  of  these,  after  doing  faithful  work 
as  a  teacher  for  many  years,  left  for  a  home  of 
her  own  in  Cairo.  The  other  still  acts  as  ma- 
tron in  the  school.  She  is  a  fear  to  evil-doers, 
but  a  motherly  friend  to  all  the  girls  and  a  valued 
and  trustei  helper  to  those  in  charge. 
On  Furlough.  7;^^  ^j^j,^,  f^r  Miss  McKown's  furlough  was 
again  drawing  near.  In  1869,  she  had  gone  home 
just  as  lier  b.ttle  school  was  crystallizing  into  the 
pattern  her  judgment  approved.  Having  had  a 
summer's  rest  in  Scotland  in  1876,  she  did  not 
make  her  second  visit  to  America  till  1881.  At 
that  time,  her  school  had  again  reached  an  inter- 
esting juncture  in  its  career. 


Martha  J.  McKown  69 

A  hundred  different  circumstances  impressed  ^^® 
upon  thcsi;  in  charge  of  the  college  and  board-  J  °  °^^ 
ing  school  the  necessity  for  building.  But  in 
Egypt,  a  new  building  is  a  heaven,  the  road  to 
which  lie;:  through  purgatory.  If  you  would 
build,  you  must  buy  land.  If  you  would  buy 
land,  you  must  enter  a  labyrinth  of  negotiations. 
If  you  would  negotiate,  it  must  be  with  children 
of  Heth,  who,  while  they  are  saying  to  Abra- 
ham, "Take  the  field  and  the  cave  that  is  in  the 
field,"  are  secretly  deciding  to  charge  him  ten- 
fold because  he  is  not  a  Hittite,  if  not  also,  be- 
tween the  drafting  and  the  signing  of  the  deed, 
to  cheat  him  out  of  some  small  corner. 

Wlien  r\Iis>  McKown  left  for  America  in  May, 
i88j,  part  of  the  lajid  for  the  college  had  been 
bought  and  buildings  were  in  course  of  erection. 
Naturally,  the  site  for  the  girls'  school  which 
was  to  occupy  a  portion  of  the  same  garden, 
seemed  also  practically  within  reach,  though 
three  years  were  to  elapse  before  the  desired 
position  was  actually  secured.  In  February,  1880, 
Dr.  Alexander  had  written  "After  five  years  of 
repeated  disappointments,  failures  and  discour- 
agements, we  have  been  able,  only  a  month  ago, 
to  begin  to  purchase  a  lot  for  building."  The 
land  in  question  was  a  large  garden  situated  be- 
tween the  town  and  the  railway,  nearly  four 
acres  of  which  are  now  mission  property.  Were 
some  one  to  write  a  complete  history  of  this  pur- 
chase from  the  early  negotiations  of   1875  till 


7©  In  the  King's  Service 

the  last  portion  was  secured  in  the  spring  of 
1904,  it  would  make  a  strange  and  interesting 
volume,  and  its  reader  would  ever  after  regard 
an  Egyptian  title  deed  as  a  monument  of  patience 
and  of  policy  and  of  several  less  virtuous  charac- 
teristics. 

„  .°"^^      Miss  McKown  went  home  nominally  to  rest, 
Raising.  •  . 

but  really  to  bend  every  energy  towards  securmg 

funds  for  building.  Money  is  not  a  topic  that  a 
missionary  loves,  but  sometimes  the  missionary 
loves  something  else  so  keenly,  that  for  its  sake 
the  topic  is  endured.  Love  for  the  school  car- 
ried Miss  McKown  through  many  an  arduous 
task  during  her  year  and  a  half  in  America. 

It  was  a  day  when  hope  was  at  the  ebb  and 
the  sky  had  lost  its  rose  tints  that  she  called  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  William  Pressly,  of  Mon- 
mouth. That  day  was  painted  in  most  vivid  col- 
ors in  the  picture  gallery  of  Miss  McKown's 
memory.  It  was  no  wonder  that  she  liked  to 
recall  it.  Even  to  the  listener,  it  made  a  striking 
picture,  in  which  the  simplicity  of  Mr.  Pressly's 
character  and  surroundings  brought  into  strong 
relief  the  magnificence  of  his  self-sacrificing  gen- 
erosity. 
A  Generous  Mr.  Pressly's  response  to  Miss  McKown's 
Response,  ^j^^  ^^g  ^  g.jf|.  ^j  $io,ooo,  of  which  half  was  to 
be  spent  on  the  new  building  and  the  remainder 
v/as  to  constitute  a  fund  to  aid  in  supporting  pu- 
pils too  poor  to  defray  the  entire  expenses  of 
their  board  and  education.     With  the  moneys 


Martha  J.  McKown  71 

secured  from  other  sources,  this  munificent 
donation  seemed  to  sweep  away  every  remain- 
ing difficulty,  and  it  was  with  a  full  heart  that 
Miss  McKown  christened  the  girls'  college  of  the 
future  the  Pressly  Memorial  Institute. 

It  was  not  till  1886,  however,  four  years  after 
her  return  to  Egypt,  that  the  boarding  school 
was  established  in  its  new  quarters.  Meanwhile 
shadows  had  been  gathering  around  Miss  Mc- 
Kown's  life.  The  first  shadow  in  large  part 
passed  away.  She  had  an  acute  attack  of  facial 
paralysis  and  to  her  sensitive  nature  the  dis- 
figurement it  caused  was  pecuHarly  hard  to  bear. 
By  slow  degrees,  however,  the  affection  dis- 
appeared and  at  length  the  only  trace  remaining 
was  a  slight  immobility  of  the  upper  lip. 

The  next  trial  was  more  far-reaching  in  its  A  Dark 
results,  vitally  influencing  her  whole  future.  In  Shadow. 
the  summer  of  1884,  she  accompanied  Dr.  Hogg 
in  one  of  his  evangeHstic  tours  in  the  Nile  boat. 
One  evening,  while  enjoying  from  the  deck  the 
beauty  of  the  moonlight  on  the  water,  she  was 
struck  by  a  shadow  on  the  surface  of  the  moon. 
Calling  Dr.  Hogg's  attention  to  the  strange  ap- 
pearance, she  discovered  that  it  was  visible  to  no 
eyes  but  her  own.  Recalling  the  experience  of 
her  father,  who  had  spent  many  years  of  his 
life  in  blindness,  Miss  McKown  was  not  slow  to 
read  in  the  altered  face  of  the  moon  a  warning 
of  approaching  night.  As  soon  as  possible,  she 
consulted  the   most   skillful  occulist  in   Egypt, 


72  In  the  King's  Service 

and  the  story  of  the  next  five  years  is  one  of  re- 
peated interruptions  owing  to  long  absences  in 
Alexandria  under  his  care.  In  November  of 
1884,  she  underwent  an  operation.  There  was 'no 
hope  of  having  perfect  sight  restored,  but  it  was 
thought  that  the  disease  might  be  checked.  Af- 
ter bearing  with  cheerful  courage  a  month  of 
darkness,  inactivity  and  suspense,  she  discovered 
that  the  experiment  had  proved  not  merely  fu- 
tile, but  injurious.  She  returned  to  her  post  in 
the  school,  in  the  care  of  which  Miss  Kyle  had 
recently  been  associated  with  her,  taught  her 
classes,  visited  in  the  homes,  went  over  plans 
for  the  new  building  and  faced  with  resolute 
cheerfulness  the  uncertainties  of  the  future. 
The  Darkness  The  year  1886  was  darkened  by  further  trials. 
Deepens,  j^^  death  of  Dr.  Hogg,  the  breaking-up  of  her 
adopted  home,  weary  months  of  fruitless  medical 
treatment,  and  the  voluntary  relinquishment  of 
all  connection  with  the  Pressly  Memorial  In- 
stitute, were  crowded  into  one  half-year.  What 
all  this  cost  her  warm,  keen  nature,  of  battle  and 
pain,  we  can  hardly  estimate,  but  that  she  came 
out  of  the  struggle  conqueror  is  evidenced  by 
her  remarking  in.  regard  to  the  succeeding 
months,  that  the  evening  of  that  year  had  veri- 
fied the  promise  that  "at  eventide  it  shall  be 
light." 

The  Assiut  Girls'  Boarding  School  began  its 
life  in  the  Pressly  Memorial  Institute  on  Sep- 
tember 14  of  that  year,  under  the  superintend- 


Martha  J.  McKown  73 

ence  of  Miss  Kyle  and  Miss  Jessie  Hogg. 
Though  Miss  McKown  was  to  have  no  further 
share  in  its  responsibihties,  lest  she  should  be 
tempted  to  overtax  her  failing  sight,  the  increas- 
ing prosperity  of  the  school  was  a  joy  to  her 
heart,  and  she  felt  herself  tied  to  it  by  bonds 
that  not  even  death  could  sever. 

Her  remaining  years  in  Egypt  were  devoted  Harim 
specially  to  harim  work.  It  was  no  new  enter-  ^ofk- 
prise  to  Miss  McKown.  She  had  entered  upon 
it  vigorously  during  her  first  years  in  Assiut, 
sometimes  accomplishing  as  many  as  twenty-five 
visits  in  a  week,  and  though  more  and  more  en- 
croached upon  by  the  growing  demands  of  the 
school,  this  work  had  always  claimed  a  portion 
of  her  time.  In  this,  as  in  her  school  work,  she 
was  following  a  definite  plan  of  campaign,  in 
which  the  missionary  was  to  be  not  merely  a 
worker,  but  a  leader  of  workers.  But  here  it 
was  more  difficult,  for  the  prejudice  against  an 
Egyptian  woman's  visiting  from  house  to  house 
is  so  unconquerable  that  Bible  women  can  be 
secured,  for  the  most  part,  only  from  the  ranks 
of  elderly  widows  and  blind  girls.  But  Miss  Mc- 
Kown did  all  that  she  could  with  her  material, 
and  those  who  worked  under  her  care  like  to 
talk  of  the  lessons  she  used  to  give  them,  the 
prayer  meetings  she  held  for  them,  and  the  care 
with  which  she  made  their  first  days  easy,  call- 
ing beforehand  at  difficult  houses,  or  arranging 


74  111  the  King's  Service 

to  drop  in  at  the  time  of  their  visit,  till  they  be- 
gan to  feel  at  home  in  their  unfamiliar  sphere. 
Her  first  work  after  resigning  the  care  of  the 

On  the  school  was  to  undertake  a  trip  south  in  the  'Ibis,' 
'*■  visiting  every  town  and  village  in  which  there 
was  a  nucleus  of  Protestants.  She  was  absent 
three  months  and  reached  a  point  230  miles 
south  of  Assiut.  She  had  a  three-fold  purpose 
in  her  tour — to  gather  pupils  for  the  Pressly 
Memorial  Institute;  when  that  was  impossible,  to 
persuade  the  mothers  to  let  their  girls  attend  the 
village  schools  for  boys;  and  lastly,  to  see  what 
could  be  done  for  the  women  themselves.  She 
returned  with  this  latter  problem  heavy  on  her 
heart,  feeling  that  every  adequate  plan  she  could 
suggest  involved  an  impossible  outlay  of  work- 
ers and  money. 

She  then  settled  down  to  the  work  in  Assiut, 
conducting  meetings,  teaching  in  the  houses  and 
receiving  visitors.  But  she  found  that,  in  spite 
of  every  caution,  the  little  sight  remaining  to  her 
was  failing  and  in  November  of  1887,  a  second 
operation  was  decided  upon  as  the  last  hope, 
however  fragile,  of  escaping  total  blindness. 

A  Last  It  was  in  the  Alexandria  mission  house  that 
Operation.  ^-^^  operation  was  performed.  She  went  up  on 
the  roof  the  evening  before,  to  watch  what  her 
heart  told  her  would  be  the  last  sunset  she  would 
see  on  earth.  What  she  passed  through  in  that 
hall  hour,  who  can  tell?  It  was  no  easy  task 
to  give  up  the  manifold  joys  of  sight.    She  had 


Martha  J.  McKown  75 

a  keen  enjoyment  of  nature.  All  beauty  of  color 
or  form  appealed  to  her.  She  could  talk  for  five 
minutes  interestingly  about  a  single  flower  she 
had  admired,  and  a  mere  description  of  a  country 
scene  in  a  letter  was  a  pleasure  that  she  might 
remember  months  after  its  perusal.  Such  trifles 
as  these  help  one  to  measure  the  extent  of  her 
trial. 

A  text  that  Miss  Strang  read  to  her  just  before 
the  operation  next  day,  strengfthened  her  for  the 
ordeal  and  was  never  forgotten.  "Thou  wilt 
light  my  candle;  the  Lord  my  God  will  enlighten 
my  darkness."  She  could  trust  herself  to  the 
faithful  love  of  God. 

The  operation,  though  unsuccessful  in  what  Totally 
it  attempted,  did  not  result  in  immediate  and  *'""'• 
total  blindness.  What  of  vision  remained  might 
to  one  with  perfect  eyesight  seem  of  no  prac- 
tical value;  but  it  was  light,  and  light  is  precious. 
For  two  years  more,  she  was  still  frequently  un- 
der the  oculist's  care.  In  1890,  however,  we 
find  her  rejoicing  that  at  last  she  is  free  from 
this  continuous  strain,  and  that,  while  totally 
blind,  she  can  henceforth  give  herself  wholly  and 
uninterruptedly  to  her  work.  It  was  then  that, 
growing  nervous  of  donkey-riding  as  a  means  of 
conveyance,  she  began  the  daily  journeys  in  the 
little  jinricksha  under  Salih's  care. 

Amusing  stories  linger  in  the  town  of  the  old 
man's  surliness  and  Miss  McKown's  unfailing 
kindness  to  him.     The  length  of  her  visits  was 


76  In  the  King's  Service 

one  of  his  trials;  the  insignificant,  out-of-the- 
way  houses  she  deigned  to  favor  with  her  pres- 
ence, another.  While  he  sat  and  waited  by  the 
Httle  donkey  carriage,  he  would  air  his  griev- 
ances to  the  world.  But  when  Miss  McKown 
would  return,  feeling  her  slow  way  with  out- 
stretched hands  along  some  crooked  alley  too 
narrow  for  even  that  small  vehicle  to  enter,  she 
would  meet  him  with  polite  apologies  and  com- 
miserations, and  his  surliness  would  vanish  be- 
fore her  appreciation  of  his  good  and  faithful 
service. 
Blindness  Doubtless  her  blindness  was  in  itself  a  talent. 
°^"  ■  If  she  preached  resignation,  what  woman  could 
resist  her  words?  If  she  urged  to  energy  and 
effort,  the  fact  that  she,  though  blind,  worked 
on,  appealed  more  irresistibly  than  her  message. 
Her  misfortune  was  of  a  kind  to  awaken  the 
warmest  sympathy  in  the  people's  hearts  and 
thev  still  recall  with  pity  her  timid  caution,  the 
children's  rudeness,  and  the  vicious  barking  of 
the  dogs.  Her  endurance  of  such  trials  on  their 
behalf  and  her  unfailing  interest  in  their  con- 
cerns, make  her  memory  linger  in  the  minds  of 
many  of  them  as  a  very  personification  of  self- 
sacrificing  love. 

It  was  wonderful  how  capable  Miss  McKown 
remained  to  the  end,  and  how  she  seemed  to 
cheat  her  blindness  of  its  power  to  narrow  her 
life.  She  learned  to  use  a  typewriter  and  read 
books  for  the  blind,  attended  to  her  own  mend- 


Martha  J.  McKown  'j) 

ing  and  darning,  and  did  many  things  to  lessen 
the  sense  of  helplessness  that  would  have  been 
so  galling  to  one  of  her  independent  character. 
She  kept  everything  in  such  perfect  order  that 
no  eyesight  was  necessary  to  enable  her  to  lay 
her  hand  on  whatever  she  might  need.  Her 
fingers  were  more  sensitive  to  the  presence  of 
dust  than  was  the  servant  who  cleaned  her  room, 
more  quick  to  detect  a  wrinkle  in  her  dress  than 
the  one  who  was  fitting  it  for  her. 

But  the  conviction  was  slowly  growing  in  her  Time  to 
heart  that  it  was  time  to  give  up  work.  Not  ^'"^  "P- 
that  she  had  wearied  of  it,  or  would  not  have 
chosen  to  end  her  days  in  the  land  of  her  adop- 
tion, but  she  felt  that  she  was  no  longer  able  to 
attempt  as  much  as  the  home  church  had  a  right 
to  expect,  and  she  feared  that  she  might  prove  a 
burden  to  others  and  lessen  their  quota  of  dis- 
tinctively missionary  service. 

On  December  4,  1893,  she  wrote  to  the  Mis- 
sion Board  the  letter  that  was  the  sign  and  the 
seal  of  her  victory.  Her  resignation  was  accept- 
ed, and  at  its  meeting  in  February,  1894,  she 
formally  announced  to  the  Missionary  Associa- 
tion the  step  that  she  had  taken. 

The  remaining  weeks  were  heavy  with  the 
atmosphere  of  parting.  Towards  the  end,  her 
room  was  filled  with  native  friends  from  morning 
till  night  and  many  a  time  her  composure  broke 
down  under  the  strain.    It  was  characteristic  of 


78  In  the  King's    Service 

her  that  while  the  tension  was  most  acute,  she 
twice  remained  an  entire  night  at  work  in  prep- 
arations for  her  leaving,  her  strong  emotions  de- 
manding this  outlet  of  action. 

A  Sad  Q„  Monday,  April  29,  1894,  she  left  Assiut,  by 
ar  mg.  ^.^^  morning  train;  the  platform  crowded  with 
frierds  who  had  gathered  there  as  a  parting  ex- 
pression of  their  gratitude,  respect  and  love.  She 
could  wave  them  a  good-bye,  but  could  take  no 
last  look  at  the  faces  most  dear  to  her,  or  at 
the  diflferent  landmarks  of  the  town  that  had 
been  her  home  for  twenty-nine  years.  Nor  was 
there  need.  Her  power  of  vision  was  independ- 
ent of  environment  and  she  carried  their  image 
in  her  heart. 

She  had  now  braved  her  brilliant  trial.  The 
short  Hfe-journey  before  her  held  nothing  else 
to  fear. 

In  the  The  next  year,  she  spent  chiefly  with  her  sister, 
"Home  for  |^,jj-  from  the  first  her  intention  was  to  end  her 
days  in  the  "Home  for  the  Aged"  in  Pittsburg. 
She  always  guarded  with  over-jealous  care  the 
interests  of  her  friends,  thinking  no  sacrifice  too 
great  that  would  forward  her  plans  for  their  wel- 
fare. It  was  only  natural,  therefore,  that  she 
should  refuse  to  let  those  dearest  to  her  share 
the  burden  of  her  blindness,  no  matter  how 
greatly  they  might  covet  the  privilege.  No  per- 
suasion would  avail  to  alter  her  decision  and  she 
entered  the  home  in  the  summer  of  1895.     A 


Martha  J.  McKown  79 

room  had  been  specially  furnished  for  her— the 
missionary  room— provided  with  everything  that 
loving  friends  could  arrange  for  her  comfort. 
And  she  was  a  missionary  to  the  end,  using 
brain,  tongue  and  pen  to  further  the  interests 
that  were  dearest  to  her  heart.  Many  look  back 
with  pleasure  to  hours  spent  with  her  in  that 
room. 

The  years  Miss  McKown  had  spent  in  Egypt 
were  calculated  to  make  perfect  adaptation  to  a 
life  so  circumscribed  and  uneventful,  difficult  in 
the  extreme,  and  those  who  knew  her  best  and 
loved  her  most  would  be  the  readiest  to  realize 
that  it  was  God's  crowning  mercy  to  her,  that 
before  she  had  time  to  weary,  He  called  her 
home. 

On  January  30,  1897,  most  unexpectedly,  the  h  the 
summons  came.  She  had  awakened  in  pain  in  Light  of 
the  morning,  but  before  long  remedies  relieved 
her,  and  no  one  suspected  illness  of  a  critical 
nature.  Later  in  the  day,  the  pains  returned 
and  HI  a  few  minutes  all  was  over.  Her  bhnd- 
ness  had  vanished  and  she  was  beholding  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

To  the  women  of  America,  the  woman's  hos- 
pital in  Tanta  stands  as  Miss  McKown's  memor- 
ial. They  have  built  it  to  her  memory  and 
lovingly  called  it  by  her  name.  To  the  women 
of  Egypt,  her  name  is  indissolubly  connected 
with  Assiut,  and  with  the  work  of  woman's  edu- 


8o  In  the  King's   Service 

cation  in  Upper  Egypt.  To  them,  the  true 
monument  to  her  memory,  the  reminder  of  her 
long  labors,  and  the  token  of  her  life's  success, 
will  ever  be  the  school  whose  name  was  written 
in  her  heart,  the  Presslv  Memorial  Institute. 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing. 


THE  PERSONAL  ELEMENT  IN  MISSION 
ARY  SERVICE. 

SARAH  DALES  LANSING. 

BoKN  xNTEAK  Moscow,  New  York,  July  30'rH,  1820. 
Died  at  Cairo.  Egypt,  November  26th,  i88q. 


"He  that  is  wise  winneth  souls." — Prov.    ii:  30. 

"And  they  that  are  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the 
stars  for  ever  and  ever." — Daniel   12:  3. 

"The  golden  beams  of  truth  and  the  silken  cords  of  love, 
twisted  together,  will  draw  men  on  with  a  sweet  violence  whether 
tliey  will  or  not." — Cudworth. 

"O,  had  I  ten  thousand  bodies,  »  ♦  »^  how  would  I,  how 
might  I,  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  send  them  forth  on  such 
errands  of  mercy  and  love!  How  could  I  detain  one?  He  who 
gave  Himself  for  me  should  have  them  all;  and  then,  how  small, 
how   small    the   giftl" — From   one  of   Mrs.    Lansing's   letters. 

"The  weapons  which  your  hands  have  found 
Are  those  which  Heaven  itself  has  wrought — 
Light,   Truth,   and    Love." 

—J.   G.   Whittier. 


IMPORTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
MRS.  LANSING'S  LIFE. 


1820.     Born  at  Moscow,  N.  Y.,  July  30th. 
1830.      Early   Missionary   Resolutions. 

?  Moves  to   Philadelphia. 

?  Unites  with  the  Church. 

1854.     Sails  for  Syria  as  a  missionary. 

1856.  Death  of  her  father  and  mother. 

1857.  Falls  from  horse  incurring  serious  injuries,  and  suspension 

of  work. 
1859.     Reaches   Alexandria,    Egypt,    May   28th,    and   takes  charge 

of  Girls'  School. 
i860.      Dangerous    illness    necessitating    transfer    to    Cairo,    where 

she  takes  charge  of  Girls'   School. 

1864.  A   remarkable   religious   revival   in    Cairo,    resulting   in    the 

conversion    of    many     teachers    and     scholars     in     the 
Girls'   School. 

1865.  Returns  to  Alexandria  on   furlough. 

1866.  Married   to    Rev.    Gulian    Lansing,    D.    D.,   on   August   9th, 
1889.      Dies  November  26th,  after  seventeen   days'   illness. 


Ill 

SARAH   B.  DALES  LANSING 

The  Personal  Element  in  Missionary  Service. 
By  rev.  CHARLES  R.  WATSON. 

We  are  prone  to  think  that  our  usefulness 
in  the  world  and  in  Christ's  kingdom  depends 
chiefly  on  the  position  we  occupy.  We  are 
mistaken.  It  depends  chiefly  on  what  we  are. 
"Where  you  are  is  of  no  moment,  but  only  what 
you  are  doing  there.  It  is  not  the  place  that 
ennobles  you,  but  you  the  place." 

Mrs.  Sarah  Dales  Lansing's  life  teaches  this  ^^e  Lesson 
truth.  It  could  not  be  the  persuasive  eloquence  °^  °  ^^^ 
of  public  preaching,  it  was  not  the  far-reaching 
influence  of  a  genius  for  organization  and  ad- 
ministration that  won  for  Mrs.  Lansing  her 
place  of  honor  in  the  service  of  Christ.  It  was 
the  power  of  personality,  irradiated  by  Christ's 
love,  which  could  truthfully  say  in  the  words 
of  another,  "I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me."  Whether  in  the  informal  relations  of 
church  and  social  life  in  Philadelphia,  whether 
in  the  strange  and  novel  environment  of  a 
Syrian  school,  whether  in  missionary  service 
in  Egypt,  whether  as  hostess  receiving  travel- 

83 


84  In  the  King's  Service 

ers  and  friends  in  her  home,  whether  lying  on 
a  bed  of  suffering  and  pain,  whatever  the  cir- 
cumstances, steadily,  like  some  bright  star  of 
the  heavens,  this  pure,  patient,  loving,  earnest 
Christ-like  personality  shone  out  undimned,  un- 
til the  dawn  of  its  immortal  day. 

Birthplace  Sarah  B.  Dales  was  born  July  30,  1820,  near 
the  village  of  Moscow,  Livingston  county,  in 
the  hill  country  and  lake  region  of  Northwest- 
ern New  York.  Of  her  early  life,  we  have  but 
little  record.  Her  parents  were  Hugh  and  Mar- 
garet Dales,  and  she  was  the  third  of  seven 
children,  and  the  second  of  three  sisters.  Be- 
tween her  and  her  brother  John,  the  late  Rev. 
John  B.  Dales,  for  fifty-three  years  pastor  of 
the  Second  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Phil- 
adelphia, and  for  thirty-six  years  the  corres- 
ponding secretary  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, there  was  a  special  attachment  and  a  nat- 
ural sympathy  which  grew  'from  more  to  more' 
during  the  long  years  of  service  which  these  two 
gave  to  Christ,  although  in  widely  separated 
fields  of  work. 

Educaiion.  Sarah's  early  educational  advantages  were 
only  those  of  the  District  and  Select  School; 
her  wide  and  careful  reading,  and  also  a  habit, 
which  she  formed  at  an  early  age,  of  writing 
freely  both  about  the  books  which  she  had  read 
and  the  experiences  and  events  of  life  gave  her, 
however,  a  literary  style  and  a  remarkable 
power  of  description,  which  lent  peculiar  charm 


Sarah   B.   Dales  Lansing  85 

to  her   numerous   contributions   to   the    church 
papers. 

Of  these  letters,  one  of  the  most  honored  Literary 
ministers  and  theological  professors  says:  "The  '*°'''*y- 
first  missionary  literature  I  ever  read,  or  that  1 
remember  to  have  read,  was  a  series  of  letters 
of  Miss  Dales  which  appeared  in  a  periodical 
published  in  the  '50's,  the  Christian  Instructor. 
I  have  no  doubt  thousands  who  never  thought 
of  going  to  the  foreign  field,  as  well  as  many 
who  have  gone  or  cherished  the  hope  of  such 
an  honor,  received  their  first  and  strongest  im- 
pulses toward  foreign  mission  work  from  her 
wonderful  letters." 

Of  Sarah's  early  religious  training  and  expe-  Early 
rience,   we    have   the    following  account   given  Religious 
by  her  brother,  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Dales,  D.  D.,  in  ^'^«- 
a  sketch   which   appeared   at   the   time   of   her 
death  in   the   Women's   Missionary   Magazine: 

"The  marked  religious  spirit  which  was  ever 
so  observable  in  her,  began  at  an  early  period. 
The  church  which  the  family  attended  was  ten 
miles  away,  but  she  was  regularly  there,  and 
the  Sabbath  sanctuary  services  were  supple- 
mented with  the  Shorter  Catechism  and  the 
family  worship  exercises  of  the  Sabbath  even- 
ing at  home.  In  all  these  means  of  grace,  she 
always  manifested  a  deep  interest,  and  as  years 
passed  on,  all  that  interest  seemed  to  increase. 
Her  convictions  of  sin  were  early  and  strong, 
and  not  less  apparent  were  her  repentings.  Not 


86  In  the  King's  Service 

infrequently,  it  was  said,  that  a  few  moments 
which  her  mother  or  a  faithful  teacher  would 
spend  in  showing  her,  in  private,  the  wrong  in 
the  sight  of  God  of  something  she  had  said  or 
done,  and  in  their  praying  together  for  the  for- 
giveness of  it,  was  far  more  effective  for  good 
than  any  ordinary  use  of  the  rod.  Any  wrong 
in  word  or  act  thus  dealt  with,  was  seldom  re- 
peated. Yet  in  her  natural  timidity,  her  dis- 
trust of  herself,  and  her  fear  of  presumption, 
she  long  hesitated  about  publicly  confessing 
Christ,  and  it  was  only  when  she  was  led,  as 
she  ever  thought  she  was,  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  realize,  under  the  preaching  one  evening  of 
a  faithful  servant  of  God,  that  she  was  follow- 
ing Jesus  only  afar  off,  that  she  took  the  step 
of  uniting  with  the  church.  But  that  once  done, 
and  done  as  it  was  with  all  her  heart,  the  ef- 
fect was  most  marked."  It  was  in  Philadelphia 
and  in  the  Second  United  Presbyterian  Church, 
then  the  First  Associate  Reformed  Church,  that 
Sarah  Dales  made  this  first  public  confession 
of  Christ. 
Uniting  The  missionary  spirit  in  Miss  Dales  ran  paral- 
with  the  jgj  ^^^  ^^g  identical  with  her  spiritual  life  as  a 
Christian.  As  her  brother  adds,  "The  first  day 
of  her  being  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  and  in 
the  communion  of  saints,  was,  as  she  said,  'a 
day  of  heaven  upon  earth'  to  her,  and  that 
night,  as  ever  afterwards,  the  one  question  in 
her  heart  and  on  her  lips  was.  'Lord,  what  wilt 


Sarah  B.   Dales  Lansing  87 

thou  have  me  to  do?'.  Thenceforward  her 
motto  was,  'The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  me,' 
and  she  diHgently  sought  to  do  what  she  could." 
She  instinctively  felt  herself  "saved,  to  serve." 
The  tranmission  to  others  of  the  peace  and  hope 
and  joy  which  her  own  soul  had  experienced 
in  Christ,  was  not  so  much  a  consciously  recog- 
ni:^ed  duty  to  be  performed  as  a  natural  afid 
even  irresistible  outgoing  of  the  new  life  withiri 
her. 

In  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  she  found  condi- 
tions of  ignorance,  spiritual  destitution  and  need, 
such  as  exist  in  every  large  city,  and  these  pre- 
sented a  large  field  for  missionary  activity.  Up 
and  down  the  neglected  lanes  and  alleys  of  the 
section  of  the  city  in  which  her  church  was 
located,  she  went,  visiting  house  after  house, 
speaking  words  of  cheer  or  of  sympathy,  bring- 
ing messages  of  warning  or  of  encouragement 
out  of  God's  word,  praying  earnestly  and  lov- 
ingly, or  leaving  religious  leaflets,  according 
as  circumstances  permitted  one  form  of  service 
or  another.  For  several  years,  she  devoted  a 
portion  of  each  week  to  this  sort  of  work. 

The  Sabbath  school,  however,  afforded  her  Winning 
the  most  congenial  field  for  service  and  gave  Souls. 
tangible  evidence  of  the  influence  of  instruc- 
tion, prayer  and  pleading.  There  was  nothing 
formal  or  perfunctory  in  the  work  of  Miss  Dales 
as  a  Sabbath  school  teacher.  She  sought  not 
only  to    teach  the  lesson,    but  also  to    win  the 


88  In  the  King's  Service 

life.  Of  her  method  and  success  as  a  Sabbath 
school  teacher,  one  who  knew  her  says,  "She 
would  take  a  list  of  all  the  girls  whom  she  had 
gathered  into  her  classes,  and  then  at  stated 
times  would  make  each  scholar,  by  name,  the 
subject  of  fervent  prayer  for  her  early  conver- 
sion. Thus,  and  with  corresponding  faithful 
teaching  and  timely  private  conversation  with 
each,  it  was  found,  when  she  left,  that  of  all 
who  had  successively  come  under  her  care  in 
the  school,  not  one  had  failed,  so  far  as  known,  to 
give  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart  and  to  unite 
with  the  church." 
Ear/y  Precious  as  this  service  of  Christ  was  to  her, 
Missionary  ghe  was  not  satisfied.  Her  sympathy  went  out 
Purpose,  j.^  those  who  had  never  heard  the  Gospel,  and 
she  longed  to  bring  the  good  news  to  them. 
An  incident  of  her  childhood  days  was  pro- 
phetic of  that  choice  of  a  life  work  which  she 
made  iwcnty-four  years  later,  "In  about  her 
tenth  year,  a  missionary,  recently  returned  from 
laboring  among  the  Choctaw  Indians,  came  one 
day  into  the  sc'iool  where  she  was,  and  told 
mu:ii  of  the  needs  of  that  people  in  their  desti- 
tution of  the  Bible.  All  that  story  she  drank 
in  with  mtens2  interest;  and  that  evening,  as 
often  afterwards,  she  said  if  God  would  ever 
op-n  the  way  she  would  devote  her  hfe  to  the 
work  of  making  the  Savior  known  to  such." 

Such  biographies  as  those  of  the  elder  Mrs. 
Judson,  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Newell,  the  first  Amer- 


Sarah   B.  Dales  Lansing  89 

ican  martyr  to  Foreign  Missions,  and  of  Mrs 
Sarah  L.  Smith,  deepened  her  interest  in  the  ex- 
tension of  Christ's  Kingdom  unto  "the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth."  For  a  while  sh^  wn 
in  correspondence  with  the  late  Hon.  Walter 
Lowrie,  so  long  the  efficient  secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  with  reference  to  the  work  among  the 
Indians  in  the  Southwest.  Finally,  however, 
the  decision  was  reached  to  go  out  as  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  in 
response  to  an  earnest  appeal  coming  from  Syria 
for  an  unmarried  woman  missionary. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  difficulties  which  Difficulties. 
attended  such  a  decision.  As  yet  scarcely  any 
unmarried  women  missionaries  had  ever  gone 
to  the  foreign  mission  field.  Neither  the  Asso- 
ciate Reformed  Church  nor  the  Associate 
Church,  by  whose  union  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church  came  into  being,  had  as  yet  sent 
to  the  foreign  field  an  unmarried  woman  mis- 
sionary. So  much  doubt  existed  with  reference 
to  the  propriety  of  such  a  course  that  Miss 
Dales  did  not  venture  to  ask  for  a  formal  ap- 
pointment at  once.  Consulting  with  her  broth- 
er, the  Rev.  Dr.  Dales,  the  agreement  was 
made,  in  their  common  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  Christ,  that  she  should  go  out  at  his  personal 
charges  and  that  after  a  period  of  trial  in  the 
work,  she  would  apply  to  the  board  for  formal 
appointment  as  a  missionary.     For  two  years 


90  In  the  King's  Service 

this  arrangement  continued,  when  she  became  a 
regularly  appointed  missionary  of  the  Associate 
Reformed  Church. 
Leaving  Tj^e  missionary  party,  which  sailed  from  Phil- 
'  adelphia  on  September  30,  1854,  on  the  "City 
of  Manchester,'"  consisted  of  Rev.  James  A. 
Frazier,  Mrs.  Johanna  Frazier,  Miss  Sarah  B. 
Dales,  Rev.  Thomas  McCague  and  Mrs.  Hen- 
rietta McCague.  The  first  three  were  bound 
for  Syria,  the  last  two  were  the  first  missiona- 
ries to  sail  from  America  for  the  Egyptian  mis- 
sion field. 

The  journey  across  the  Atlantic  was  a  pleas- 
ant though  uneventful  one.  The  party  found 
Christian  friends  in  Liverpool,  and  the  privi- 
leges of  worship  and  the  observance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  with  the  followers  of  Christ  in 
a  sister  church  made  the  few  days  of  their  de- 
lay in  England  altogether  refreshing. 

Then  followed  the  sea  voyage  on  the 
"Orontes,"  bringing  with  it  the  traditional  ex- 
perience of  rough  weather  in  the  Bay  of  Bis- 
cay, a  delightful  stop  at  Gibraltar,  another  at 
Malta,  and  another  at  Alexandria.  At  this  point 
the  missionary  party  divided.  Rev.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McCague  disembarking  in  order  to  pro- 
ceed to  Cairo  and  lay  there  the  foundation  of 
the  "American  Mission"  in  Egypt. 

Little  did  Miss  Dales  realize  as  she  accom- 
panied the  Egyptian  missionaries,  Rev.  Thomas 
and  Mrs.  McCague  ashore  at  Alexandria,  that 


Sarah   B.  Dales  Lansing  91 

in  a  few  years   she   herself  would  be   brought 
to  this  field  of  labor. 

Landing  at  Beirut,  a  rough  journey  on  horse-  Itlf^nd 
back  brought  their  missionary  party  to  Damas-  '^°"''"^y- 
cus.  Of  this  journey,  we  have  this  record:  "On 
Wednesday,  about  noon,  we  set  out  for  Damas- 
cus, on  horseback — the  only  way  of  traveling  in 
this  needy  land.  The  first  night  we  stayed  at 
Bhamdun,  a  village  on  the  mountains,  and  with 
a  family  of  the  mission  who  are  laboring  at  that 
interesting  station.  The  two  following  days 
we  traveled  through  the  grandest  scenery.  The 
mountains  are  so  extensive,  so  majestic,  so  va- 
ried, that  one  could  easily  understand  and  ap- 
preciate the  frequent  Scriptural  allusions  to  the 
beauty  and  glory  of  Lebanon.  Much  of  the 
route  was  rough,  wild,  and  precipitous  beyond 
conception.  Our  lodgings  at  night  were  in  Arab 
huts,  in  small  villages;  the  only  furniture  con- 
sisting of  a  large  mat,  spread  on  the  floor,  and 
two  or  three  rude  cushions,  but  we  were  grate- 
ful for  even  such  accommodations." 

Of  her  surroundings  at  Damascus,  Miss  Dales  Damascus. 
wrote  to  a  friend,  "The  streets  of  the  city  are 
extremely  narrow,  and  are  crowded  with  multi- 
tudes in  every  variety  of  Oriental  costume,  while 
the  rough,  guttural  voice  of  the  Arab  continual- 
ly breaks  upon  your  ear.  The  exterior  of  the 
houses  is  gloomy  and  repulsive,  but  the  interior 
is  pleasant  and  inviting.  Although  most  pecu- 
liar in  their  style  of  architecture,  these  houses 


92  lu  the  King's  Service 

are  all  admirably  adapted  to  this  climate.  Our 
house,  being  designed  thus  far  for  the  preach- 
ing services  and  for  the  schools,  is  very  large, 
and  the  view  to  be  obtained,  from  its  terraces, 
of  the  city  and  the  vast  plain  around  and  the 
mountains  in  the  distance,  on  almost  every  side, 
is  exceedingly  grand  and  striking.  The  gar- 
dens beyond  the  gates  of  the  city  are  very  invit- 
ing, and  the  plain  watered  by  the  Barrady,  the 
ancient  'Abana,'  is  peculiarly  pleasant.  The 
street  that  is  called  'Straight,'  and  probably  the 
identical  one  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  al- 
though very  much  changed,  is  but  a  short  dis- 
tance from  us,  and  is  a  very  public  one.  It  is 
the  only  long  street  in  the  city,  and  is  entered 
on  the  eastern  side  by  an  immense  gateway,  of 
ancient  architecture.  Tradition  says  (and  I  be- 
lieve it  is  generally  supposed  to  be  correct  in 
this  case)  that  Paul  was  led  into  the  city  through 
this  gate,  after  he  had  been  struck  blind;  while 
about  half  a  mile  beyond  it,  on  the  plain  near 
our  little  burying  ground,  the  place  is  pointed 
out  where  he  received  the  wonderful  visitation 
of  God." 
Her  Work.  The  mental,  physical  and  even  spiritual  strain 
involved  in  the  mastery  of  a  foreign  language 
is  one  of  the  greatest  burdens  which  a  new  mis- 
sionary is  called  upon  to  carry.  Yet  the  meas- 
ure of  a  missionary's  usefulness  is  usually  de- 
termined by  the  thoroughness  with  which  this 
work  is  done.     Miss  Dales  gave  herself  unre- 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  93 

servedly  to  the  mastery  of  the  Arabic  language. 
In  addition  to  this,  she  had  charge  of  the  girls' 
school.  Of  this  work,  she  wrote  home:  "Our 
school  numbers  eighteen  now.  of  whom  fifteen 
are  Jewesses,  their  ages  varying  from  five  to 
fourteen  years.  They  are  a  deeply  interesting 
group,  and  already  are  my  affections  largely 
drawn  to  them.  I  spend  a  portion  of  each  day 
in  the  school-room,  teaching  them  in  English, 
with  which  they  are  very  greatly  delighted.  We 
are  also  learning  to  sing  the  English  and  Arabic 
alphabets,  which  are  new  to  them;  and  they  are 
often  so  much  pleased  that  they  smile  their 
thanks,  kiss  my  hands,  and  say,  'Zerefa!  Zerefa!' 
meaning,  'beautiful,  beautiful!'  You  may  imagine 
it  is  a  very  great  trial  for  me  not  to  be  able  to 
understand  them,  as  they  so  often  gather 
around  me  and  say  so  much;  still,  we  manage 
to  converse  some,  as  our  girls  understand  a  lit- 
tle English,  and  they  communicate  my  wishes 
to  the  school  girls.  I  am  every  day  constantly 
constructing  sentences,  too,  though  in  an  awk- 
ward manner;  and  when  I  can  make  myself  in- 
telligible, I  am,  you  may  be  assured,  very  great- 
ly encouraged.  Our  school-  girls  are  mostly 
from  wealthy  and  aristocratic  Jewish  families; 
and  some  of  them  wear  most  valuable  orna- 
ments, while  little  attention  is  paid  to  their 
dress,  or  to  habits  of  cleanliness." 

To  the  burden    of  the  work,  there  was  added  T^^e  Hated 
a  burden  of  constant  anxiety  lest  some  religious  ^'""^- 


94  ^n  the  King's  Service 

fanaticism  might  rob  her  of  her  opportunity 
for  service.  One  such  outbreak  did  occur 
among  these  Jewish  pupils  not  long  after  she 
had  assumed  charge  of  the  school.  "Their 
hatred  to  the  very  name  of  Jesus,"  she  wrote 
in  one  of  her  letters,  "is  really  most  appalling. 
One  of  the  girls,  while  reading  a  few  days  since, 
came  to  it,  and  as  she  pronounced  it,  threw  her 
book  from  her  in  a  perfect  rage;  and,  bursting 
into  a  flood  of  tears,  said  she  would  not  read 
about  him  that  it  was  a  sin,  and  her  father 
said  she  must  not.  She  was  at  once  seconded 
by  all  in  her  class,  and  in  a  few  minutes  seve- 
ral were  crying  and  begging  for  a  new  book — 
something  that  was  good.  Being  engaged  with 
my  teacher,  as  usual,  at  that  hour,  I  was  not 
present  during  the  scene;  but  the  next  morning 
I  took  a  short  lesson,  and  hastened  to  the 
school-room.  The  class  had  just  commenced 
reading;  some  were  in  tears,  and  every  counte- 
nance was  sad.  Trembling  with  emotion,  I 
asked  what  was  the  trouble.  They  hesitated 
very  much  at  first  to  tell  me;  but  finally  did  so, 
amid  such  sobs  and  manifestations  of  grief,  as 
I  had  never  seen  in  that  little  group.  The  hour 
that  followed,  as  I  sat  in  their  midst,  was  one 
not  to  be  forgotten.  They  said  they  could  not 
read  about  Jesus;  that  our  books  were  not  for 
the  Jews,  and  entreated  me  in  the  most  tender 
and  earnest  manner  to  get  others  that  would 
be  suitable   for   them.      I   assured   them,  again 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  95 

and  again,  that  we  had  nothing  else  for  them, 
that  we  would  not  compel  them  to  believe  what 
they  read,  but  if  they  attended  our  school  they 
would  be  obliged  to  use  these  books,  and,  that 
too,  without  finding  fault,  and  complaining,  as 
had  been  the  case,  more  or  less,  for  some  little 
time.  Our  girls,  Werdy  and  Miriam,  also  ex- 
plained the  matter  to  them;  and  they  saw  they 
must  yield  to  their  prejudices,  or  leave  us,  either 
course  being  a  most  painful  alternative." 

The  large  correspondence  which  Miss  Dales  Overwork. 
undertook  to  keep  up  with  friends  at  home,  add- 
ed to  her  labors  in  the  study  of  language  and 
the  care  of  the  girls'  school,  resulted  in  a  ner- 
vous collapse,  but  even  though  laid  aside  from 
active  work,  the  missionary  spirit  which  took 
Miss  Dales  to  Syria,  burned  almost  to  a  whitt 
heat  in  her  written  appeals  to  the  home  church: 
"Can  it  be  that  these  dark  dispensations  of  Di- 
vine Providence,  with  all  our  entreaties  for  help, 
shall  be  disregarded  by  our  churches  at  home? 
Cannot  pastors  do  something  in  this  matter 
by  urging  our  necessities,  and  that  of  the  for- 
eign field,  upon  their  respective  charges?  Can- 
not the  professors  of  our  different  seminaries, 
in  the  exercise  of  their  high  office,  urge  the 
claims  of  the  heathen  world  much  upon  the  stu- 
dents under  their  care?" 

In  America,  the  Union  of  the  Associate  and  The  Unity 
the    Associate    Reformed    Churches    into    the  "^  *^^ 
United  Presbyterian  Church  of  N.  A.  was  under 


96  In  the  King's  Service 

discussion.  The  missionar}-  attitude,  as  well 
as  Miss  Dales's  own  views  on  this  subject,  may 
be  easily  gathered  from  this  extract:  "It  is  on 
a  foreign  field,  in  the  midst  of  idolatry,  super- 
stition, and  fanaticism  of  the  deepest  and  most 
fatal  dye,  that  the  Christian  feelingly  prays  for 
the  unity  of  the  church.  It  is  there,  indeed, 
that  he  perfectly  desires  that  the  various 
branches  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  gospel  lands 
would  lay  aside  every  emotion  of  bigotry,  sel- 
fishness, and  prejudice,  that  lurks  in  their 
bosom,  and  form  themselves  into  one  good  and 
holy  fraternity  for  the  lengthening  of  the  bor- 
ders of  Zion  at  home,  and  for  sending  out  a 
mighty  evangelizing  influence  over  the  dark 
places  of  the  earth  abroad." 
Patience  jf  gQ^-ig  one  were  to  ask  for  the  cardinal  quali- 
_  . ,  fications  of  a  good  missionary,  the  answer  could 
be  quickly  given:  "Patience  which  never  tires, 
love  which  never  wearies,  faith  which  ever  ex- 
pects." Miss  Sarah  Dales  had  all  three.  Two 
years  after  her  arrival  in  Syria,  she  writes  with 
enthusiasm  to  her  brother  about  some  signs  of 
spiritual  success  in  her  school^  which  to  another 
might  have  seemed  insignificant,  and  says:  "I 
never,  never  have  felt  nearly  so  much  encour- 
aged and  so  very  happy  as  now.  How  I  wish 
you  could  see  us  in  our  school-room — an  in- 
teresting and  busy  sight — the  dearest  spot  to 
me  on  earth.  Let  me  again  plead  for  your 
prayers.     My  faith  is  strong  that  all  our  efforts 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  97 

will  not  be  in  vain,  but  that  fruit  will  yet  ap- 
pear, although  it  may  not  be  our  privilege  to 
live  to  see  it  in  large  abundance." 

The  year  1856  had  been  a  year  of  much  sick-  -When 
ness  among  the  missionaries  of  Syria,  and  sev-  '^«'^e'"  o"*^ 

eral  of  their  number  were  compelled  to  leave  J'  ^'l   „ 

'■  Forsake. 

the  country  m  search  of  health.  To  Miss  Dales, 

it  was  a  year  of  abundant  labors  and  of  great 
joy  as  she  worked  with  the  increasing  efficiency 
of  an  increased  knowledge  of  the  language.  Yet 
the  year  also  brought*  sorrow  in  the  news 
of  the  death  of  both  her  father  and  moth- 
er. At  such  times,  separation  from  home 
and  the  isolation  of  missionary  life  are  in- 
creasingly hard  to  bear  in  proportion  as 
the  heart  craves  special  sympathy  under 
such  circumstances.  Writing  at  the  close 
of  the  year  to  her  brother,  she  says:  "The  last 
year  was  a  sadly  eventful  one  in  our  beloved 
family,  as  during  its  short  and  fleeting  months 
we  were  sorely  bereaved — we  were  written 
orphans.  How  I  love  now,  more  than  ever,  to 
dwell  upon  the  precious  promises  made  to  the 
afflicted  and  fatherless!  They  seem  doubly 
forcible,  and  are  clothed  with  a  radiance  and 
beauty  which  I  never  so  distinctly  saw.  And 
why?  Because  they  are  mine — they  were  writ- 
ten for  me." 

The  spring  of  1857  was  for  Miss  Dales  a  time  A  Serious 
of  faithful,  persevering  work  in  the  girls'  school.  Accident 
In  the  summer  time,  the  missionaries  found  es- 


98  In  the  King's  Service 

cape  from  the  heat  of  the  city  by  repairing  to 
a  mountain  resort  at  Bkidan,  but  even  here 
missionary  work  was  carried  on  among  the  pop- 
ulation of  this  hill  country.  On  returning  from 
Bludan  to  Damascus,  Miss  Dales  met  with  a 
painful  accident  in  falling  from  a  horse.  Her 
back  and  head  were  severely  hurt  and  she  had 
to  be  carried  to  Damacus  on  a  litter.  Her  love 
for  her  school  led  her  to  attempt  to  resume 
work  in  it. -but  the  advice  of  her  fellow  mission- 
aries and  especially  the  constraining  argument 
of  a  weakened  constitution  finally  prevailed,  and 
she  gave  up,  though  "with  tears,"  both  her 
school  work  and  her  study  of  Arabic. 

Slowly  and  only  in  a  measure  were  health 
and  strength  restored  to  her.  The  climate  of 
Syria  seemed  to  be  trying  to  her  and  during 
this  winter  of  tedious  waiting  on  the  recovery 
of  health.  Providence  indicated  to  the  mission- 
ary body  and  to  her  the  wisdom  of  a  transfer 
to  the  Egyptian  mission  field.  Prevented  for 
months  from  engaging  actively  in  mission  work, 
the  missionary  spirit  still  burned  as  a  fire  in 
her  heart.  Writing  home,  she  said:  "O,  had 
I  ten  thousand  bodies,  weak  and  inefficient  and 
unworthy  though  they  might  be,  yet,  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  love  to  my  own  precious 
Savior,  and  love  to  the  souls  of  my  fallen  fellow- 
being,  how  would  I,  how  ought  I,  as  on  the 
wings  of  the  wind,  send  them  forth  on  such  er- 
rand of  mercv  and  love?     How  could  I  detain 


Sarah  B.   Dales  Ivansing  99 

one?     He   who    gave     Himself   for   me    should 

have  them  all;  and  then,  how  small,  how  small 

the  gift!" 

Perhaps  some  one  is  inclined  to  credit  Miss  Spiritual 

Dales's  warm  spiritual  life  to  the  fact  that  she  ^°"^''*'°"^ 
■     ■  11  1  1       1     1    f   1    °"  Mission 

was  a  missionary,  and  thus  to  lose  the  helpful  frj^j^ 

stimulus  of  a  comparison  of  one's  own  life  with 
hers.  If  this  is  the  case,  it  is  worth  while  to 
listen  to  what  she  wrote  about  this  time  out 
of  her  own  experience  as  a  missionary:  "Con- 
trary to  the  very  general  opinion  of  many  good 
people,  the  servant  of  Christ  in  a  foreign  land 
has  not  the  favorable  opportunities  for  culti- 
vating personal  piety,  and  making  attainments 
in  grace,  that  might  at  first  be  supposed.  Met 
at  every  step  by  iniquity  and  depravity  as  he 
mingles  with  his  people,  from  the  servant  in  his 
family  to  the  shopkeeper  in  the  Bazaar,  he  is 
continually  breathing  an  atmosphere  all  tainted 
with  moral  pollution." 

Arriving  in  Alexandria  on  May  28,  1858,  Miss  >"  ^gyp*- 
Dales  was  introduced  on  the  next  day  to  a  girls' 
Protestant  school  which  up  to  that  time  had 
been  under  the  patronage  of  a  society  of  Chris- 
tian ladies  in  Scotland,  called  the  Society  of 
Paisley,  but  which  was  passed  over  that  year 
to  the  United  Presbyterian  Mission.  This  school 
was  one  of  much  the  same  character  as  that 
at  Damascus.  The  pupils,  however,  while  Jew- 
esses, were  for  the  most  part  Italian  girls, 
whereas  those  at  Damascus  were  Svrians. 


lOO  In  the  King's  Service 

Soon  after  Miss  Dales's  arrival  in  Alexandria, 
there  occurred  at  Jedda,  a  seaport  town  near 
Mecca,  an  outbreak  of  Mohammedan  fanaticism 
which  cost  the  lives  of  two  consuls  and  a  large 
number  of  Christians,  and  which  stirred  up  a 
feeling  of  unrest  throughout  the  Mohammedan 
world.  In  Egypt,  an  outbreak  was  only  prevent- 
ed by  the  firm  attitude  taken  by  Said  Pasha. 
"On  Tuesday,"  wrote  Miss  Dales,  "anxiety  was 
dispelled  by  the  action  of  the  Pasha,  who  is  in 
Cairo.  After  calling  together  all  the  sheiks  and 
officials,  and  simply  asking  them  the  emphatic 
question,  if  they  knew  who  he  was,  and  of  whom 
he  was  the  son,  he  said,  'Be  cautious.  If  a  hair 
of  a  Christian's  head  is  touched,  your  lives  will 
pay  the  awful  penalty.'  The  same  thing  has 
been  done  here;  and  whatever  may  have  been 
intended,  they  have  been  intimidated  and  sub- 
dued." 
Persecution  Still  the  missionaries  were  not  without  fear, 
for  Dr.  Gulian  Lansing  wrote  to  Dr.  Dales: 
"We  have  been  insulted  almost  daily  in  the 
streets  by  the  children,  taught,  of  course,  by 
their  parents.  The  adults,  also,  have  sometimes 
shown  decided  disposition  to  pick  quarrels  with 
us  in  the  streets.  The  most  daring  of  the  kind 
was  one  which  happened  to  your  sister  a  short 
time  since.  Some  of  the  city  poHce,  seeing  her 
coming  along  on  her  donkey,  put  themselves  in 
her  way,  and  jostled  her;  and  one  of  them,  with- 
out provocation,   struck   her  a   heavy  blow  on 


Sarah   B.   Dales  Lansing  lOi 

the  back.  We  have  been  occasionally  stoned; 
and  the  Christian  boys  of  the  school  were  so 
frequently  maltreated,  that  a  number  of  them 
were  thereby  driven  from  the  school." 

It  is  easy  to  infer  how  whole-heartedly  Miss  Attachment 
Dales  gave  herself  to  her  work  at  Alexandria.  °  "^' ^' 
when  we  read  in  the  Report  of  Mission  Work 
at  Alexandria  sent  to  Dr.  Dales:  "You  would 
be  surprised  to  find  pupils,  whose  religious  be- 
lief is  so  opposed  to  the  Bible,  paying  the  sums 
they  do  to  be  taught  almost  from  morning  to 
night  the  Bible.  Their  friendly  disposition  in 
this  respect  is  attested  by  their  large  attendance 
at  the  Sabbath  school,  which  is  entirely  volun- 
tary, and  where  Bible  truth  alone  is  taught. 
The  secret  of  this  is  the  affection  of  the  chil- 
dren for  the  teachers,  and  this  is  a  marked 
characteristic  of  the  schools.  In  the  girls' 
school,  the  ladies  of  the  committee  here  were 
particularly  struck  with  this  feature,  and  re- 
quested me  to  mention  it  in  writing  home,  as  a 
most  encouraging  one.  This  spirit  is  constantly 
and  most  pleasantly  exhibiting  itself.  When, 
for  instance,  your  sister  goes  to  school  in  the 
morning,  she  is  immediately  surrounded  by  the 
whole  group,  each  striving  with  childish  en- 
thusiasm for  a  kiss,  or  a  shake  of  the  hand. 
When  she  leaves  it  is  the  same,  and  she  can 
hardly  tear  herself  away  from  them." 

In    i860.    Miss    Dales    continued    her    work 
in  the  Mission    school   at   Alexandria,   but  her 


io2  In  the  King's  Service 

heart  and  thoughts  were  much  in  her  former 
field  of  service,  Syria,  which  at  this  time  was 
going  through  troublous  experiences. 

Toward  the  close  of  i860,  Miss  Dales  was 
much  weakened  by  overwork  and  also  by  an  al- 
most fatal  attack  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs 
induced  by  the  moist  climate  of  Alexandria. 
Again  Providence  indicated  the  necessity  of  a 
change  of  location  and  the  mission  transferred 
her  to  Cairo,  but  her  faith  in  God's  guidance 
of  her  life  was  the  secret  of  the  peace  she  en- 
joyed in  giving  up  a  work  which  she  had  come 
to  love  and  taking  up  a  new  work  in  the  city 
of  Cairo. 
Transfer  At  Cairo,  she  was  put  in  charge  of  a  girls' 
to  Cairo  school  which  contrasted  in  many  ways  with  her 
previous  charges.  While  the  Alexandria  school 
was  made  up  chiefly  of  foreigners,  the  Cairo 
school  was  made  up  exclusively  of  Egyptian 
girls.  While  both  the  Damascus  and  Alex- 
andria schools  were  chiefly  Jewesses,  the  school 
at  Cairo  was  composed  of  Coptic  girls,  afford- 
ing a  much  more  responsive  field  for  missionary 
work  and  Christian  teaching. 
4  Year  The  year  1864  was  a  year  long  to  be  remem- 
of  Grace.  \yQ_x:t<l  in  the  history  of  mission  work  in  Cairo. 
It  was  a  veritable  year  of  grace,  a  year  of  gen- 
uine revival,  which  swept  away  doubt,  indif- 
ference and  fear  and  led  to  the  open  acceptance 
of  Christ.  It  was  a  year  of  persecution,  too,  and 
of  violent  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Coptic 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  103 

church  to  all  those  who  confessed  the  pure  re- 
ligion of  the  Protestant  church.  It  would  be  be- 
yond the  scope  of  this  sketch  to  describe  that 
movement  in  its  entirety,  but  a  fair  apprecia- 
tion of  its  character  and  significance  will  be 
gained  from  the  part  taken  in  it  by  those  who 
were  either  teachers  or  pupils  in  Miss  Dales's 
school.  One  of  the  first  of  those  won  to  Christ 
at  this  time  was  JJamlja,  whose  name  is  con- 
nected with  the  great  romance*  of  our  Egyptian 
Mission. 

"During  the  last  few  months,"  wrote  Miss 
Dales,  in  describing  these  revival  experiences, 
"increased  attention  has  been  noticed  in  many 
of  our  exercises,  both  on  the  Sabbath  and  dur- 
ing the  week,  and  our  morning  Bible  lessons 
have  often  been  very  solemn  and  impressive 
seasons,  while  hope  could  not  but  be  indulged, 
that  with  some  there  was  a  desire  to  know  and 
love  the  blessed  Savior  of  whom  we  spoke. 
These  were  tenderly  brought  to  the  mercy  seat, 
and  many  opportunities  embraced  for  privately 
urging  upon  them  their  acceptance  of  Christ. 

"Bamba,  a  lovely  girl  of  14,  and  one  of  the  Conversion 
assistant  teachers,  seemed  to  be  especially  seri-  "'  Bamba. 
ous,  and  it  was  soon  found  she  was  laboring 
under  conviction  of  sin,  and  earnestly  pray- 
ing for  a  new  heart.  It  was  a  moment  of  touch- 
ing interest  as  she  stood  at  my  desk,  telling 
me  her  desires,  and  repeating  her  simple  but 

•  See  Watson's  "American  Mission  in  Egypt,"  pp.  163-172. 


I04  In  the  King's  Service 

fervent  petitions  in  order  to  show  how  she  had 
tried  to  ask  for  forgiveness  and  for  a  heart  to 
love  Jesus;  and  you  will  not  wonder  that  teach- 
er and  pupil  mingled  their  tears.  There  was  so 
much  simplicity  and  earnestness  in  her  manner 
that  I  was  more  than  overjoyed,  and  tried  to 
encourage  her  in  the  good  way  she  had  begun 
to  walk.  Daily  intercourse  and  frequent  con- 
versations gave  happy  assurance  that  the  good 
work  was  going  on  in  her  heart,  and  that  ere 
long  she  would  find  the  Savior  she  so  earnestly 
sought.  At  one  time  she  said:  'I  am  thinking  of 
Jesus  all  the  time  whatever  I  am  doing,  and 
constantly  praying  for  a  new  heart.  I  know  I 
love  Him  very  much,  but  I  don't  know  yet 
whether  He  has  forgiven  my  sins.' 

"But  she  was  soon  able  to  say  more!  She 
felt  she  was  a  great  sinner,  but  she  also  felt 
she  had  a  great  Savior,  and  she  fully  trusted  in 
him  and  all  was  peace  and  joy.  As  the  com- 
munion season  approached,  she  expressed  an 
earnest  desire  to  be  received  into  the  church. 
This  was  more  than  my  weak  faith  had  looked 
for." 
Hrari  Of  the  Sabbath  on  which  Bamba  made  a 
Searching,  public  confession  of  Christ,  Miss  Dales  says: 
"In  the  afternoon  I  met  my  teachers  as  usual 
at  three,  and  the  hour  was  devoted  to  self-ex- 
amination and  prayer.  Our  Savior's  words  to 
Peter,  'Lovest  thou  me,'  were  dwelt  upon,  and 
we  were  made  to  feel  that  Christ  was  indeed  in 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  105 

our  midst  searching  our  hearts.  Greatly  sol- 
emnized with  the  scene  of  the  morning  and  with 
tender  consciences,  it  was  a  time  when  God 
seemed  ready  to  work,  and  there  was  much 
feeling.  Sieda,*  the  head  teacher  in  my  school 
and  whom  you  will  very  well  remember,  was 
deeply  affected,  and  at  the  hour  for  service  when 
all  went  in  to  church,  she  remained  weeping. 

"She  could  say  little  more  than,  'I  am  such  a 
sinner,  such  a  sinner.'  More  especially  than 
anything  else,  God  was  using  His  own  Word 
in  rousing  her  to  a  real  sense  of  sin.  Literally 
had  it  been  made  to  her  'quick  and  powerful  as 
a  sharp  two-edged  sword.'  During  the  reading 
of  the  8th  of  Romans  in  the  morning  by 
Mr.  Hogg,  the  passage,  'They  that  are  in  the 
flesh  cannot  please  God,'  and  also,  'If  ye  live 
after  the  flesh  ye  shall  die,'  made  her  heart  an 
uneasy  and  troubled  place.  'Lovest  thou  me' 
was  another  barb  that  pierced  her  very  soul! 
Now,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  was  she  be- 
ginning to  see  that  'all  her  righteousness  was 
as  filthy  rags,'  and  that  she  was  a  poor,  lost  and 
undone  creature.  While  it  was  a  sense  of  in- 
tense and  painful  interest  to  see  her  in  such 
distress,  still  how  we  blessed  God  in  our  hearts 
that  He  had  at  length  had  mercy  upon  her, 
and  made  her  to  feel  that  with  all  her  correct 
deportment,   attendance   upon   religious  duties, 


*  Pronounced  '■Se)ryidah  " 


io6  In  the  King's  Service 

reading  the  word,  practicing  secret  prayer,  etc., 
she  still  lacked  'the  one  thing  needful.'  " 

Thus  the  work  of  grace  extended  from  heart 
to  heart  and  with  the  manifestations  of  its 
power  there  developed  opposition  on  the  part 
of  the  Copts.  The  description  which  Miss 
Dales  gives  of  the  experience  of  one  of  her 
pupils  must  stand  as  a  type  of  what  others  suf- 
fered, in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  as  they  sought 
to  confess  Christ  before  men: 
Persecution.  "Hanoona  was  one  of  the  seven  that  applied 
for  admission  and  was  examined.  Being  the 
daughter  of  a  Coptic  priest  (some  time  de- 
ceased) and  other  priests  also  in  the  connec- 
tion, her  movements  were  watched  with,  a  zeal- 
ous eye,  and  word  sent  me  she  was  never  com- 
ing to  us  again;  and  again  she  was  detained  at 
home.  We  repeated  our  visits  to  the  family, 
but  there  was  no  yielding  now,  farther  than  that 
she  might  worship  with  us  on  the  Sabbath — a 
promise  they  did  not  intend  to  fulfil.  It  was  a 
touching  scene  as  we  lingered  in  the  humble 
home  pleading  for  our  dear  girl,  and  commend- 
ing the  Savior  and  the  religion  she  had  learned 
to  love.  Poor  Hanoona  wept  much,  and  there 
were  other  tears,  as  she  was  told  over  and 
over  in  their  presence,  to  live  nearer  the  Savior, 
and  if  she  sought  him,  he  would  be  near  to 
comfort  and  bless.  We  charged  her  to  prayer- 
fully study  her  Bible  and  obey  its  precepts,  as 
she  expected  to  render  an  account  in  the  last 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  107 

great  day.  It  was  a  trial  to  leave  her.  but  there 
was  a  strong  feeling  that  God  would  interpose 
on  her  behalf,  and  we  cheered  her  with  this 
hope.  She  followed  us  to  the  court  and  so  did 
the  bigoted  sisters,  lest  there  might  be  some 
private  talk.  We  spoke  kindly  to  them,  and 
still  tried  to  encourage  Hanoona  in  her  faith, 
which  they  ridiculed  and  gave  us  abusive  lan- 
guage in  return.  On  Saturday  morning  she 
managed  to  get  here,  and  with  the  others  was 
received  for  communion.  She  left  us  quite 
uncertain  whether  or  not  she  would  be  able  to 
come  (on  Sabbath),  but  was  praying  earnestly 
that  God  would  open  up  the  way.  On  Sab- 
bath she  rose  at  an  early  hour,  but  her  street 
dress  had  been  locked  up,  to  prevent  her  going 
out.  Finding,  however,  one  of  her  sister's, 
she  appropriated  it  and  hurried  away  while  the 
family  were  still  sleeping,  and  came  to  us  with- 
out her  breakfast.  Duty  seemed  clear  to  her, 
and  she  was  one  of  the  ten  native  females  that 
gathered  with  us  around  the  table  of  our  Lord. 
"She  felt  that  God  had  truly  answered  prayer 
in  granting  her  the  desires  of  her  heart,  and 
her  confidence  was  strong  that  He  would  still 
be  with  her  in  the  persecutions  and  trials  that 
awaited  her.  Happy  in  the  privilege  she  hnd 
enjoyed,  and  in  the  consciousness  of  having 
done  her  Lord's  will,  she  left  us  after  the  even- 
ing service  for  her  home.  Our  sympathies  and 
prayers  went  with  her,  that  'the  wrath  of  man 


Command. 


io8  In  the  King's  Service 

might  be  restrained'  and  that  her  'faith  might 
not  fall.' 
Obeying  the  "After  being  severely  reprimanded  for  having 
left  as  she  had  done  in  the  morning,  she  was 
questioned  about  our  services,  and  what  she 
had  done.  She  told  them  'she  had  obeyed  the 
Savior's  command,  and  had  partaken  of  the  sac- 
rament.' Curses  and  insults  followed,  and  she 
was  beaten,  but  she  did  not  fear  them.  Her 
clothes  and  books  were  secured  in  a  chest,  and 
she  was  forbidden  to  leave  the  house,  or  have 
any  communication  with  us  whatever.  Long 
and  weary  days  passed  as  she  was  made  a  vic- 
tim of  scorn,  and  beatings,  and  unkind  treat- 
ment, until  Thursday,  when  a  priest,  'Abuna 
Yusef,'*  was  brought  to  see  what  he  could  do 
at  convincing  her  of  her  errors,  and  in  reclaim- 
ing her.  A  long  discussion  followed  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  excited  and  angry  group,  but  at  every 
step  she  boldly  and  resolutely  defended  her 
position,  and  from  her  little  Testament  brought 
many  passages  referring  to  the  doctrines  in 
question,  which  he  found  it  difficult  to  'gainsay 
or  resist.'  Failing  to  prevail  upon  her  'to  con- 
fess,' or  make  'the  sign  of  the  cross,'  or  kneel 
before  him,  he  seized  her  wrists,  and  with  her 
own  hands  beat  her  face,  while  the  mother  pull- 
ed her  hair,  and  all  reproached  and  cursed.  He 
then  told  her  he  had  permission  from  the  Pat- 
riarch to  punish   her,   and   that   the   following 


*  "Our  Father  Joseph." 


Sarah   B.   Dales  Lansing  109 

Sabbath  she  would  be  taken  by  force  to  church, 
when,  if  she  refused  to  confess,  she  would  be 
taken  into  a  room  and  beaten  with  a  'cour- 
bash'  until  she  did.  'Do  as  you  wish,'  she  re- 
plied, 'I  will  only  confess  to  God.  1  am  afraid  of 
nothing.'  'May  God  smite  you  with  disease  and 
death,'  said  he,  and  left  in  a  rage. 

"On  Friday  she  was  permitted  to  go  out,  on  Steadfast 
the  supposition  that  she  wished  to  attend  the  '"  ' 
funeral  of  a  friend;  but  her  steps  were  soon  di- 
rected to  our  mission  home.  She  had  little 
more  than  told  us  her  trials,  and  received  en- 
couragement to  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  to 
patiently  endure,  etc.,  when  she  was  followed 
by  her  family  who  were  quite  enraged  to  find 
her  here,  and  beat  her  on  her  head  before  we 
could  prevent  it.  They  were  too  much  excited 
to  be  reasoned  with;  but  a  brother-in-law  com- 
ing in  afterwards,  it  was  finally  arranged  that 
she  should  go  home  and  be  allowed  to  enjoy 
her  religious  views  without  molestation,  should 
worship  with  us  on  the  Sabbath,  and  attend  to 
her  duties  in  the  school  during  the  week.  She 
told  them,  in  a  very  clear  and  calm  way,  her 
conviction  of  duty  and  grievances  from  the  first, 
and  then,  at  the  conclusion,  putting  her  finger 
in  her  throat,  said,  with  an  earnestness  we  will 
never  forget,  'Bring  now  a  sword,  or  begin 
with  this  hand  and  cut  me  to  pieces;  I  will  not, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  recant.  I  will  walk  by  the 
light  of  that  Gospel  which  I  have  learned.    I  am 


Opposition. 


no  III   the  King's  Service 

not  afraid  of  priests,  bishops,  or  the  Patriarch.' 
We  were  amazed  at  the  power  and  fearlessness 
of  that  young  girl,  as  she  was  called  upon  to 
make  such  a  defence,  and  we  blessed  God  in  our 
hearts  for  the  strength  and  grace  given  to  bear 
such  a  good  testimony." 
Threats  and  Qf  others.  Miss  Dales  wrote:  "Several  of  the 
older  girls  have  spoken  with  their  parents  about 
partaking  of  the  Sacrament  with  us  and  joining 
our  church,  and  this  alarms  and  excites  fear. 

"One  is  threatened  with  having  a  priest  cut 
ofif  her  tongue,  if  she  becomes  a  Protestant. 
Another,  refusing  to  confess  to  a  priest  who 
called  at  her  father's  a  short  time  since,  and 
who  would  not  kiss  the  cross  because,  she  said, 
it  was  wrong,  was  about  to  be  beaten  by  her 
father,  when  a  cousin  who  is  one  of  our  mem- 
bers interfered,  and  said  she  was  in  the  right; 
and  another  who  will  not  fast  or  pray  to  the 
'Virgin,'  and  who  is  too  busy  with  her  proofs, 
has  daily  and  severe  warnings.  And  thus  it 
is  with  numbers." 

It  is  not  possible  to  describe  in  detail  the  ex- 
periences of  the  latter  years  of  Miss  Dales's  life 
and  work. 

In  1865,  she  left  Egypt  and  took  a  much 
needed  furlough  in  America.  Returning  to 
Egypt,  she  was,  on  August  9,  1866,  united  in 
marriage  with  the  Rev.  Gulian  Lansing,  D.  D. 
For  some  time  she  continued  her  superintend- 
ence of  the  girls'  school,  but  the  duties  of  her 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  iii 

home  finally   compelled   her   to   relinquish   that 
position. 

Year  after  year,  however,  as  her  strength  per- 
mitted, she  continued  to  visit  the  women  in  their 
homes,  reading  to  them  out  of  God's  Word, 
pleading  with  them  to  accept  Christ,  praying 
with  them  and  for  them,  urging  them  to  faithful 
attendance  upon  the  church  services.  The  rec- 
ord of  the  years  of  1871  and  1879  ^^^  the  latter 
years  of  her  life  without  exception,  is  written 
in  suffering  and  physical  infirmity,  but  her  mis- 
sionary spirit  made  her  unmindful  of  herself, 
in  a  passionate  desire  to  forward  the  kingdom 
of  Christ. 

Of  these  later  years,  we  have  the  following  ^^"''^  °^ 
witness  from  one  who  was  intimately  acquaint-  ^"^^^'''"9 
ed  with  her:  "During  the  last  years  of  her  life 
she  was  a  great  sufiferer,  though  the  church  and 
the  general  public  knew  little  about  it;  yet  dur- 
ing all  her  affliction,  much  of  which  arose  from 
her  delicate,  nervous  disposition  and  general 
bodily  debility,  she  never  lost  her  interest  in 
the  mission  work.  Whether  entertaining  trav- 
elers whom  her  attractive  manners  and  her  wide 
acquaintance  through  long  connection  with  the 
mission  drew  to  her  house,  or  making  return 
calls  on  them  at  the  hotels,  or  meeting  with 
people  during  her  sojourn  in  England  and  Scot- 
land, the  subject  of  her  conversation  was  the 
work  of  Christ  in  Egypt.  To  secure  their  in- 
terest in  it,  their  support,  good  wishes  and  pray- 


112  In  the  King's  Service 

ers  for  it,  was  her  great  aim.  Sometimes  when 
she  was  scarcely  able  to  drag  herself  from  one 
room  to  another,  she  would  receive  callers  and 
entertain  them  with  a  glowing  account  of  the 
mission  work  carried  on  in  the  Nile  Valley. 
while  they  would  never  suspect  how  feeble  she 
was,  but  would  go  away  charmed  with  her  con- 
versation and  often  influenced  to  do  something 
to  help  for  the  good  cause.  In  the  missionary 
tours,  made  up  and  down  the  valley  in  com- 
pany with  her  husband,  she  was  always  deeply 
interested;  and  whenever  her  health  would  per- 
mit, she  was  accustomed  to  search  out  the  wom- 
en, read  and  talk  to  them,  and  pray  with  them, 
while  he  was  engaged  with  the  men. 

"She  was  a  true  help  to  her  husband,  taking  a 
deep  interest  in  all  his  plans  and  work,  and  aid- 
ing him  often  beyond  what  her  physical  state 
allowed." 
Sunset  Her  death  occurred  on  November  26,  1889. 
Days.  Iyi  April  of  that  year,  "in  passing  along  the  hall 
in  the  mission  building  in  Cairo,  and  not  notic- 
ing a  step  that  was  before  her,  she  suddenly 
fell;  was  taken  up  helpless  from  a  severe  bruise 
or  fracture  of  her  hip-bone  and  for  months  lay 
upon  her  bed,  the  calm  and  uncomplaining  vic- 
tim of  much  excruciating  pain.  At  length  she 
rallied  and  became  able  to  move  around  with  a 
crutch,  and  then  with  only  a  cane.  In  this  con- 
dition, and  in  the  enfeebled  state  of  both  her 
husband,   Dr.    Lansing,  and  their  son,   Carroll 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing         113 

Lansing,  M.  D.,  she  went  to  Alexandria,  saw 
them  sail,  on  the  urgent  advice  of  the  physicians, 
for  Constantinople  for  the  benefit  of  their  health, 
and  then  she  returned  to  Cairo.  There  the  next 
day,  the  9th  of  November,  she  was  attacked  with 
catarrh  of  the  bowels,  and  thence  for  seventeen 
days  endured  the  severest  sufferings  as  her  dis- 
ease ran  its  fatal  couse.  'Through  it  all,'  says 
one,  'she  was  patient  and  loving,  so  thoughtful 
for  all  around  her,  so  uncomplaining  and  thank- 
ful that  it  was  a  privilege  to  wait  on  her.'  Once 
in  the  midst  of  severe  suffering  she  said:  'He 
will  not  lay  one  stroke  upon  me  more  than  He 
can  help  me  bear.'  At  another  time,  in  great 
calmness  of  spirit,  even  while  the  body  was  in 
the  keenest  pain,  she  said:  'I  have  every  bless- 
ing and  every  mercy.'  She  did  not  seem,  says 
one,  agitated  at  any  time,  but  she  often  said, 
'Just  as  the  Lord  wishes;  He  knoweth  best.' 
When  portions  of  the  73d,  ii6th  and  121st 
Psalms  were  read,  she  exclaimed:  'Precious 
words!  and  never  so  precious  as  now.'  " 

"When  she  was  on  her  death-bed,"  one  of  "Live  for 
the  missionaries  says,  "I  was  with  her  a  good  Christ." 
deal,  and  I  never  forget  the  kind  words  of  en- 
couragement which  she  gave  me  in  my  great 
work.  She  was  not  able  to  talk  much,  but  was 
intensely  anxious  to  speak  to  every  one  who 
visited  her,  a  word  about  eternal  things.     She 


114  III  the  King's  Service 

spoke  thus  especially  to  the  dragoman*  whom 
she  urged  to  accept  the  Savior,  and  he  seemed 
deeply  impressed."'  Another,  who  is  one  of  our 
young  ministers  in  the  mission,  says  "  I  was  with 
her  the  night  of  the  Wednesday  preceding  her 
death.  She  seemed  to  be  dying,  but  was  so  grate- 
ful for  the  little  help  we  could  give  her,  and  was 
full  of  gratefulness  while  we  felt  ourselves  so 
helpless.  It  relieved  her  when  I  held  her  up, 
supporting  her  poor  weak  body,  and  as  I  held 
her  she  thanked  me  again  and  again.  She  kept 
repeating:  'Live  for  Christ,  live  for  Christ,  dear 
brother.  Preach  Christ  in  a  plain,  simple  man- 
ner to  these  poor  people.' 
Perfect  "Her  great  desire  had  been  to  live  until  her 
eace.  ]^y^,i\^2i'n(\  and  son,  who  had  been  earnestly  sent 
for,  would  arrive.  For  this  she  prayed,  and  had 
others  pray.  These  prayexs  were  mercifully 
answered.  Twenty-four  hours  before  her  de- 
parture, they  reached  her.  'Bless  the  Lord, 
bless  the  Lord,'  was  her  repeated  cry  as  they 
came  in.  Most  tender  and  touching  were  the 
hours  that  followed.  Calmly,  though  in  great 
weakness,  she  talked  of  her  departure,  disposed 
of  many  objects  of  interest,  sent  parting  mes- 
sages to  dear  ones  far  away,  gave  loving  and 
faithful  exhortations  to  natives  around  her; 
and,  as  the  last  verses  of  the  23d  Psalm  were 
sung,  a  portion  of  the  21st  chapter  of  Revela- 


*  "An  interpreter  or  guide  for  Oriental  travelers",  who  happened 
to  call  to  see  her, 


Sarah  B.  Dales  Lansing  115 

tion  read,  and  a  fervent  prayer  offered  by  one 
of  the  missionary  brethren,  she  softly  but  dis- 
tinctly said,  'Amen  '  That  was  her  last  word. 
The  struggle  was  over.  All  was  peace.  At  half- 
past  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday, 
November  26,  1889,  she  calmly  breathed  her 
last,  while  soon  after  a  calmness  and  sweetness 
of  almost  unearthly  beauty  spread  over  her 
face  that  seemed  to  say  again,  'All  is  peace.' 

"On  the  following  day  a  large  company  gath-  Awaiting  the 
ered  at  the  Mission  House.  Persons  of  various  '^^^"''''^'^*'°"- 
nationalities  and  different  religious  names: 
Christians,  Jews,  Moslems  and  Copts,  and  of 
every  class  and  condition  were  there.  One  sor- 
row seemed  to  fill  all  hearts;  one  grief  bowed 
all  heads.  Appropriate  services  were  had  in 
both  English  and  Arabic.  And  thence  from  that 
building,  which  from  its  very  foundation  had 
been  consecrated  by  her  joys  and  sorrows,  her 
prayers  and  labors  and  tears,  her  living  and  dy- 
ing, her  remains  were  borne,  and,  near  the  soft 
still  hour  of  an  Egyptian  sunset,  were  laid  away 
in  the  Protestant  Cemetery  at  old  Cairo,  under 
a  beautiful  acacia  tree,  and,  as  she  requested, 
by  the  side  of  the  loved  and  lamented  Mrs.  John 
Giffen,  who  entered  into  her  rest  here,  October 
16,  1881. 

'Mrs.  Lansing  dead.'        She    rests    from  her 
labors  and  her  works  do  follow  her." 


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1 

Andrew  Gordon,  D.D. 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  A  MISSION. 

ANDREW  GORDON. 

Born  at  Putnam,  New  York,  September  17TH,  1828. 
Died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  August  13TH,  1887. 

"I  do  therefore  solemnly  engage,  in  the  presence  of  the 
three-one  God,  to  be  forever  subject  to  His  will  in  all  things,  to 
spend  and  be  spent  in  His  service,  to  make  this  and  the  glory 
of  God  the  end  of  my  existence  and  salvation." — Andrew  Gordon. 

"If  I  read  aright.  Christian  missions,  taken  in  their  widest 
sense,  constitute  the  zvork  which  our  Lord,  before  ascending  into 
heaven,  assigned  to  us  as  churches  collectively  and  as  Christians 
individually;  and  according  as  we  have  done  or  not  done  our 
part,  our  lives  will  in  the  end  be  judged  by  Him  to  be  suc- 
cesses or  failures.  May  the  word  "failure"  never  be  written  upon 
my  latter  days!" — Andrew  Gordon,  in  "Our  India  Mission." 

"According  to  the  grace  of  God  which  was  given  unto  me, 
as  a  wise  master  builder  I  laid  a  foundation;  ana  another  buildeth 
thereon.  For  other  fundations  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which 
is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." — I  Cor.  3:   10. 


IMPORTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
DR.  GORDON'S  LIFE. 


1828.     Born  at  Putnam,  N.  Y.,  September  17th. 
1833.      Death  of  his  mother,   December   15th. 

1845.  Death   of   father,   August   20th,   causes   deep  regret  that   he 

had  not  made  a  profession  of  religion. 
Admitted  into  the  Church. 

1846.  Banters   into   a   solemn   covenant   with   "his   Lord   and   Mas- 

ter" to  be  "forever  subject  to  His  will,"  June   ist. 
1850.     Graduates   from  Franklin   College,    September  25th. 
1852.     Attends     Canonsburg     Theological     Seminary — licensed     to 

preach,    by   Albany   Presbytery,    November   2nd. 

1852.  Married  Miss  Rebecca  C.   Smith,  May   18th. 

1853.  Attends     Canonsburg     Theological     Seminary — licensed     to 

preach,   by  Albany   Presbytery,    November  2nd, 

1854.  Ordained  to   preach  the   Gospel,   August   29th. 

Sailed   for   India,    September  28th,   on   steamer  "Sabine." 

1855.  Arrives   at   Calcutta,    India. 
Arrives  at  Sialkot,  August  8th. 

1857.     Outbreak  of  the  Sepoy  Rebellion. 

First  baptisms,  October  25th. 
1864.     Failing  health  compels  return  to  America,  November  28th. 
1872-3.  Charge  of  Congregation  at  Garner,  Iowa. 
1875.      Returns   to    India. 

1885.  Leaves   India   for  last   time. 

1886.  Writes  of  "Our  India  Mission"  at  his  home  in  America. 

1887.  Illness.      Goes   to    Clifton    Springs   in   search   of   health. 
Death  at  Philadelphia,  August   13th. 


IV 

ANDREW   GORDON 

The  Founding  of  a  Mission 
By  rev.  DAVID  R.  GORDON 

Andrew  Gordon  was  the  fifth  child  of  Rev.  His  Birth- 
Alexander  Gordon.  His  mother's  maiden  name  p/ace. 
was  Margaret  Martin,  of  Guinston,  Pa.  He  was 
born  at  Putnam,  Washington  county,  New  York, 
on  September  17th,  1828.  Putnam  is  about  as 
obscure  and  seckided  a  spot  as  could  well  be 
found,  situated  between  Lake  Champlain  and 
Lake  George,  near  the  historical  town  of  Ticon- 
deroga,  abounding  in  hills,  woods  and  rocks. 
Back  of  the  church  stands  a  perpendicular  clifif, 
some  seventy-five  or  a  hundred  feet  in  height, 
and  one  great  ambition  of  the  boys  of  the  neigh- 
borhood is  to  be  able  to  stand  on  this  cliff  and 
throw  a  stone  clear  over  the  church  below.  The 
quaint  old  graveyard  in  connection  with  the 
church  has  some  of  the  most  peculiarly-worded 
and  peculiarly-spelled  inscriptions  on  its  head- 
stones as  are  likely  to  be  found  anywhere. 

When  Andrew  Gordon  was  a  little  over  four 
years  of  age,  his  father's  house  burned  down. 
This  experience  impressed  itself  deeply  on  his 
119 


I20  In  the  King's  Service 

youthful  memory,  and  he  describes  the  events 
of  that  memorable  night  in  some  reminiscences 
of  his  boyhood  days,  which  he  penned  in  later 
years. 
Death  of  Soon  after  this  event,  on  December  15th, 
1833,  his  mother  died.  She  had  taught  him  to 
repeat  the  Lord's  prayer  evening  and  morning, 
but  she  was  taken  from  him  before  he  could 
know  the  value  of  a  pious  mother's  instructions 
and  learning.  His  father,  however,  was  dili- 
gent in  storing  his  youthful  mind  with  that 
"form  of  sound  words"  which,  though  very  irk- 
some at  the  time,  was  of  great  value  to  him  in 
after  life.  He  was  required  to  commit  to  mem- 
ory the  Psalms  of  David  (a  few  verses  each 
Sabbath)  and  select  passages  from  Proverbs 
during  the  week,  also  the  Shorter  Catechism  as 
soon  as  he  was  able  to  read.  At  that  time  he  re- 
garded this  as  a  disagreeable  task  and  went 
about  it  very  lazily,  to  his  father's  great  grief. 
But  this  early  training  enabled  him  in  after  years 
to  ask  and  answer  the  107  questions  of  the 
Shorter  Catechism  without  the  book  and  with- 
out making  a  mistake. 

The  period    of    his    life    before    his    father's 
death,  and  his  uniting  with  the  Church,  is  nar- 
rated thus  by  himself: 
First  thought       "About  this  time,  or  perhaps  a  year  or  two  af- 
of  the  terwards,    my    father    suggested    to    me    the 

ini8  ry.         thought   of    studying    for   the   ministry.      The 
thought  pleased    me   very    much.     Accordingly 


Andrew  Gordon  12 1 

lie  borrowed  a  copy  of  Frey's  Hebrew  Gram- 
mar of  Rev.  James  P.  Miller,  and  some  time  af- 
terwards bought  a  Latin  Grammar  and  Historia 
Sacra,  that  I  might  have  an  opportunity  of  mak- 
ing an  early  beginning.  But  my  progress  was 
very  slow.  My  poor  father,  who  was  my  teach- 
er, was  distracted  and  broken  down  with  various 
troubles — my  time  was  needed  at  manual  labor 
as  soon  as  I  could  be  of  any  use  in  this  way, 
consequently  my  Hebrew  and  Latin  were  laid 
aside,  and  for  a  few  years  I  was  sent  three 
months  occasionally  to  a  district  school.  When- 
ever there  was  an  opportunity  of  earning  a  few 
cents  among  the  neighboring  farmers,  it  was 
necessary  that  I  should  improve  it  in  order  that 
we  might  keep  out  of  debt,  which  we  were  all 
early  taught  to  shun.  My  father  purchased  a 
small  piece  of  land,  which  also  required  some 
of  my  time.  About  the  age  of  thirteen,  I  Thought  of 
thought  of  learning  to  weave  and  following  it  as  '**^^'' 
a  business.  I  thought  also  of  being  a  shoe-  '"""  ***""'*• 
maker,  chiefly  because  there  was  no  prospect  of 
having  the  means  necessary  to  carry  me 
through  a  course  of  study.  To  these  proposals 
I  do  not  remember  that  my  father  raised  any 
objection.  He  wished  us  each  to  follow  the 
calling  of  our  choice,  provided  only  it  was  an 
honest  one.  It  was  still  my  desire,  however,  to 
study,  and  this  desire  was  always  increased 
whenever  I  enjoyed  a    few    months    at   school. 


122  In  the  King^s  Service 

At  School.  In  the  fall  of  1842,  all  of  the  family  except  my- 
self, moved  to  Johnstown,  Fulton  county,  N.  Y. 
I  spent  the  winter  in  Hebron  with  Mr.  James 
Cummings,  working  evenings  and  mornings  for 
my  board,  and  attending  a  district  school  in  the 
daytime.  My  principal  studies  were  arithmetic 
and  penmanship,  at  which  I  was  foremost  in  the 
school,  and  felt  very  much  uplifted.  Here  I 
made  my  first  attempt  at  declamation.  No  such 
exercise  was  required  in  the  school,  but  a  num- 
ber of  us  volunteered  to  speak  if  our  master 
would  permit  us.  Permission  was  given,  and  it 
was  agreed  that  I  must  speak  first.  Having 
carefully  committed  to  memory  an  extract  of 
Patrick  Henry's  celebrated  speech,  I  made  an 
attempt  to  deliver  it  before  the  school.  But  by 
the  time  I  had  pronounced  about  two  sen- 
tences, I  was  obliged  to  sit  down  confused  and 
ashamed. 

"Some  time  during  this  winter,  while  sitting 
under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  A.  Anderson.  1 
thought  of  making  a  profession  of  religion,  but 
thought  of  it  as  a  duty  and  not  as  a  privilege. 
My  leisure  time  for  reading,  which  was  quite 
limited,  I  spent  in  reading  such  books  as  the 
lives  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  Blackhawk,  and 
Alcot's  Young  Men's  Guide.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber that  I  had  any  taste  for  religious  reading 
that  winter.  On  the  7th  of  March,  1843,  I  fol- 
lowed the  rest  of  the  family  to  Johnstown." 


Andrew  Gordon  123 

This  trip  from  Hebron  to  Johnstown,  which  ^  ^'^"9 
he  made  on  foot,  is  described  by  his  sister  as  fol-  '''""/'• 
lows: 

"When  our  family  moved  from  Putnam  to 
Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  Andrew  remained  with  a 
friend  of  father's  in  Hebron,  and  attended  the 
common  school  one  session.  At  the  close  of 
school  he  came  to  our  home  in  Johnstown. 
Leaving  Hebron,  he  stopped  with  friends  over 
night  in  South  Argyle,  which  was  a  little  piece 
on  his  way,  leaving  54  miles  remaining.  He 
started  early  the  next  day  on  foot,  crossing  the 
bridge  over  North  River  before  daylight.  Once 
or  twice  he  was  taken  on  for  a  few  miles  by  per- 
sons going  the  same  way,  altogether  about  1 1 
miles.  His  boots  being  rather  loose,  he  stuffed 
a  handkerchief  into  the  heel  of  one  and  a  mit- 
ten into  the  other  to  keep  them  from  blistering 
his  feet.  Near  sundown,  a  large  boy  who  had 
grown  out  of  his  clothes,  carrying  all  his  belong- 
ings, not  in  a  telescope,  nor  in  a  suit  case,  but 
in  a  red  bandana,  came  into  the  open  hall,  and 
asked  if  he  could  stay  all  night!  I  said,  'I'll  ask 
father.'  Then  he  smiled  and  I  recognized  him. 
For  two  long  days  he  was  too  tired  to  take  any 
interest  in  anything  that  his  two  little  brothers 
could  offer,  and  which  they  could  not  under- 
stand. He  resolved  that  he  would  never  make 
a  trip  like  that  again." 

After  reaching  Johnstown,  his  own  narrative 
continues  thus: 


124  In  the  King's  Service 

studying  "The   home  in  which  we  lived  the  first  few 

'"^'  months,  was  in  sight  of  Johnstown  Academy, 
the  sight  of  which  excited  an  intense  desire  to 
be  one  of  its  inmates,  but  the  smalhiess  of 
father's  salary  (200  dollars  a  year)  seemed  to 
cut  off  all  hopes  of  this  at  present.  My  father, 
however,  promised  that,  if  he  could,  he  would 
send  me  a  session  or  two.  This  spring  was 
spent  partly  in  a  chair  factory,  where  I  under- 
took a  job  of  putting  seats  into  100  chairs. 
But  when  I  had  earned  a  few  dollars,  my  em- 
ployer broke  the  contract  and  went  away  leav- 
ing me  a  trifle  in  his  debt.  Here  I  was  in  the 
company  of  profane  swearers  and  was  not  sorry 
to  leave.  Part  of  the  spring  was  also  spent  in 
sawing  wood  with  my  two  younger  brothers  for 
our  neighbors  in  the  village.  When  the  season 
advanced,  we  wrought  a  small  piece  of  land  on 
the  shares.  The  following  winter  I  attended 
part  of  a  session  at  the  academy,  and  the  next 
winter  a  whole  session,  sawing  wood  night  and 
morning,  and  working  wherever  I  could  get 
work  during  the  intervening  summer,  which 
was  mostly  on  the  farm. 

"On  the  15th  of  April,  1845,  ^  hired  out  to 
work  on  the  farm,  at  $8.00  per  month  for  Johrt 
McNab,  an  elder  of  the  congregation,  in  hope 
of  earning  something  to  enable  me  to  go  to 
school.  Although  the  labor  appeared  hard,  and 
I  sometimes  felt  as  if  I  were  not  able  to  go 
through  it,  yet  I  was  in  a  kind  family,  and  much 


Andrew  Gordon  125 

of  the  time  working  with  a  very  godly  old  man, 
by  whose  godly  walk  and  conversation  and  fer- 
vent prayers  I  trust  I  was  profited. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  i8th  or  19th  of  An-  "«  fathers 
1  •  /  o     \     •    X   11-  i     Illness 

gust  this  summer  (1845),  mtelligence  came  to      (j  q    ff, 

me  that  my  father  was  very  dangerously  ill.  This 
was  like  a  thunder  stroke  and  occasioned  many 
sad  reflections  while  I  was  on  my  way  home 
that  night.  How  I  had  neglected  my  privileges 
and  now  they  were  about  to  be  taken  way!  I 
had  not  made  a  profession  of  religion,  although 
I  had  thought  much  about  it  for  three  years 
past,  while  I  had  a  living  father,  who  was  so 
eminently  qualified  to  instruct  me  about  the 
nature,  manner,  use  and  end  of  this  step.  I  had 
not  even  given  him  the  gratification  of  knowing 
that  I  wished  to  make  a  profession.  How  had 
I  neglected  to  seek  his  counsel  with  regard  to 
my  future  course,  for  he  often  invited  us  all  to 
ask  him  questions,  intimating  that  it  afforded 
him  pleasure  to  answer  them,  especially  on  re- 
ligious topics.  But  now  this  excellent  counsel- 
lor was  about  to  be  taken  away!  After  I  had 
reached  home  he  was  only  able  to  tell  me  in  a 
low  whisper  that  he  was  about  to  leave  me.  He 
died  on  the  20th."  Religious 

"During  the  two  or  three  years  previous  to  Experence. 
this  solemn  event,  I  had  spent  my  leisure  time, 
particularly  on  the  Sabbath,  in  carefully  read- 
ing some  practical  religions  books,  among  which 
were  'Dodridge's  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion 


126  In  the  King's  Service 

in  the  Soul,'  and  'Craighead  on  Communion,' 
and  about  this  time  or  afterwards  'Owen  on  Spir- 
itual-mindedness'  and  'Willison  on  Commun- 
ion.' The  perusal  of  these  books,  I  have  always 
thought,  were  of  great  advantage  to  me,  and  I 
am  inclined  to  think  they  were  the  means  of  my 
conversion.  At  all  events  I  loved  these  books, 
and  I  think  entered  into  the  spirit  of  them.  They 
led  me  to  see  and  feel  what  I  had  often  been 
taught  before,  that  I  was  a  sinner  at  heart.  They 
led  me  to  pray  earnestly,  and  particularly  to 
plead  that  God  would  give  me  a  new  heart  ac- 
cording to  his  promise  in  Ezekiel  xxxvi,  25-26, 
that  He  would  pardon  my  sins,  that  He  would 
make  me  spiritually  minded,  that  He  would  be 
my  God  and  Father,  and  take  me  to  be  His 
child.  I  had  some  diflficulty  at  times  in  seeing 
that  the  promises  of  these  blessings  were  for  me 
individually.  Yet  being  taught  that  they  were 
so,  I  endeavored  often  to  venture  my  all  upon 
them.  I  was  led  also  to  self-examination  with 
a  view  to  being  admitted  into  full  communion  in 
the  Church,  and  especially  to  taking  a  seat  at  the 
Lord's  table,  for  I  earnestly  desired  to  belong  to 
Christ,  and  thought  I  was  doing  wrong  in  con- 
tinuing to  stand  back,  thus  saying  virtually  that 
I  belonged  to  the  world  and  not  to  Christ." 

Uniting  "  *  *  *  Thus  I  came  gradually  to  the  conclu- 
with  the  sion  that  I  had  passed  from  death  unto  life,  al- 

Church.  though  that  life  was  so  weak  as  to  be  scarcely 
perceptible.       I  do  not  remember    opening  my 


Andrew  Gordon  127 

mind  upon  these  subjects  to  any  one  previous 
to  my  father's  death — not  even  to  him.  O,  that 
I  had  been  wise,  for  he  would  surely  have  been 
delighted  with  any  opportunity  of  clearing  away 
my  difficulties  and  leading  me  to  love  Christ.  I 
still  thought  I  would  open  my  mind  to  him,  and 
continued  to  resolve  and  again  halt  between  two 
opinions,  until  he  was  suddenly  taken  away  by 
death.  This  painful  event  made  me  think  that 
now  there  was  no  time  to  lose.  It  was  the  means 
of  making  me  more  serious  and  more  thoughtful 
about  religion  and  less  attached  to  the  world 
than  before.  Accordingly  a  few  weeks  after- 
wards I  opened  my  mind  freely  to  Rev.  J.  G. 
Smart,  who  was  appointed  to  dispense  the  Lord's. 
Supper  in  Johnstown,  and  was  admitted  to  full 
communion  in  the  visible  Church.  It  seemed 
then,  and  I  have  often  thought  the  same  since, 
that  I  was  not  examined  as  thoroughly  as  would 
have  been  profitable  for  me,  although  he  told 
the  session  that  the  conversation  was  very  full 
and  satisfactory.  I  had  little  more  clearness  as 
to  my  state  before  God  after  the  examination 
than  before  it.  Perhaps  he  trusted  too  much  to 
the  fact  that  I  had  enjoyed  great  privileges  from 
my  childhood." 

It  must  have  been  shortly  after  this  time  that 
he  entered  into  a  solemn  agreement  with  his 
Lord  and  Master  as  follows: 

"June  ist.  1846.     It  is  my  most  sincere  desire  A  Life 
this  day  to  take  God  as  my  Creator,  my  Father  Covenant 


128  In  tlie  King's  Service 

in  Christ,  the  Author  of  all  my  mercies,  the  in- 
finitely wise  and  just  disposer  of  all  events. 
The  Son  as  the  only  way  of  coming  to  the 
Father,  as  he  to  whom  I  am  bound  by  the 
strongest  ties  to  love  with  all  my  heart  for  His 
wondrous  love  to  me,  who  am  unworthy  of  the 
least  favor;  which  love  was  manifested  in  His 
coming  down  from  the  throne  of  heaven,  in  tak- 
ing upon  him  our  nature,  suffering  the  scorn  and 
cruel  envy  of  sinful  men,  and  death,  and  all  this 
for  me,  who  am  infinitely  unworthy.  I  desire 
to  reject  every  other  way  of  salvation  as  utterly 
vain,  and  to  rest  solely  upon  the  merits  of  his 
sufferings  for  all  needed  grace  and  strength  to 
guard  against  and  to  hate  sin,  and  perform  every 
known  duty,  and  for  the  final  salvation  of  my 
soul  from  sin,  as  well  as  from  the  punishment 
due  to  it.  And  also  the  Holy  Ghost  for  my 
Sanctifier,  who  shall  make  me  fit  for  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  saints  above,  who  shall  teach  me  to 
understand  the  Word,  and  incline  my  heart  to 
obedience  in  all  things,  who  shall  be  my  com- 
fort in  trouble,  and  my  unerring  guide  through 
life  and  death.  I  desire  to  take  shame  to  my- 
self, and  to  go  all  my  days  humbled  to  the  very 
dust  on  account  of  particular  sins  and  sins  in 
general  that  I  have  committed,  and  to  endeavor 
hereafter  through  the  strength  of  promised 
grace  to  hate  all  sin  because  it  is  hateful  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  to  trust  in  the  merits  of  Christ 
for  the  pardon  of  my  sins,  and  to  trust  in  the  free 


Andrew  Gordon  129 

promise  that,  "him  that  cometh  unto  Me  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out."  I  do  therefore  solemnly 
engage  in  the  presence  of  the  three-one  God  to 
be  forever  subject  to  His  will  in  all  things,  to 
spend  and  be  spent  in  His  service,  to  make  this 
and  the  glory  of  God  the  end  of  my  existence 
and  salvation,  and  to  live  no  longer  in  the  ser- 
vice of  sin.  All  this  so  far  as  my  depraved  na- 
ture will  admit,  and  to  trust  for  the  fulfillment 
upon  Him  who  alone  is  able  and  willing  to  help 
me,  and  has  already  satisfied  Divine  justice  and 
reconciled  us  to  God. 

"(Signed)     ANDREW  GORDON." 

Andrew  Gordon  attend  Franklin  College,  New  College 
Athens.  Ohio,  and  graduated  from  there  on  ^"/®- 
September  25th,  1850.  He  gives  an  account  of 
his  efforts  to  make  some  money  by  teaching  a 
class  in  writing  during  the  three  weeks  inter- 
vening between  his  final  examinations  and  com- 
mencement day.  The  preface  to  this  little  book- 
let shows  the  vein  of  humor  which  was  a  part  of 
his  general  make-up:  "Be  it  known  to  the  reader 
that  the  following  pages  are  not  intended  for  the 
press,  nor  even  for  every  one  to  read  in  private, 
but  only  for  such  as  will  not  make  fun  of  them, 
and  for  these  only  when  they  can  find  nothing 
else  to  do." 

He  gives  the  following  description  of  the  com- 
mencement exercises: 

"Wednesday,   at   10  o'clock  A.   M.,   the   stu-  Graduation. 
dents  and  faculty  were  assembled  at  the  college 


130  In  the  King's  Service 

door,  and,  led  by  a  band  of  music,  followed  by  a 
rabble  of  boys,  and  gazed  at  by  three  or  four 
thousand  of  people  who  had  assembled,  we 
marched  in  procession  to  a  grove  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  from  the  village,  where  the  exercises  of  the 
day  were  held.  The  performances  were  in  the 
following  order:  ist,  English  salutatory;  2d, 
Latin;  3d,  Greek,  4th,  Hebrew,  then  three  Eng- 
lish speeches  and  a  valedictory.  We  were  now 
addressed  in  a  very  solemn  manner  by  the  presi- 
dent, and  declared  to  be  'Bachelors  in  the  Lib- 
eral Arts.'  Finally  we  had  a  comical  perform- 
ance in  the  form  of  a  'stump  speech,'  by  a  'can- 
didate for  Governor.'  He  was  a  little  freshman. 
His  speech  was  the  only  one  which  seemed  to 
command  the  attention  of  the  whole  crowd.  In 
such  an  assembly  there  are  so  many  who  come 
for  'they  don't  know  what,'  that  those  who  wish 
to  hear  the  sober,  substantial  performances  find 
it  almost  impossible.  The  performances  being 
over  at  half-past  3  o'clock,  the  multitude  began 
to  leave,  and  at  dark  the  village  was  about  as 
quiet  as  usual,  with  little  more  than  its  300  in- 
habitants." 
Appointment  He  attended  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
to  India.  Cannonsburg,  Pa.,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by 

Albany  Presbytery  on  November  2d,  1853. 
While  attending  the  Seminary  he  was  married 
to  Rebecca  Campbell  Smith,  of  New  Athens, 
Ohio,  on  May  i8th,  1852.  After  finishing  his 
Seminary  course,  and  while  filling  some  appoint- 


Andrew  Gordon  131 

merits  to  preach  in  vacant  congregations  in  the 
suburbs  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  he  was 
appointed  by  the  Associate  Presbyterian  Synod 
as  a  missionary  to  India.  Going  to  India  at  that 
time  was  a  very  different  thing  from  what  it  is 
now,  fifty  years  later.  Space  will  not  permit  it 
here,  but  those  who  wish  to  read  a  full  and  inter- 
esting account  of  this  preparation  for  and  voyage 
to  India  can  do  so  in  the  first  and  second  chap- 
ters of  "Our  India  Mission."  "The  route  to 
India  lay  around  the  southern  coast  of  Africa, 
through  the  boisterous  Southern  Ocean,  cross- 
ing and  recrossing  the  Equator  under  a  scorch- 
ing sun,  requiring  a  tedious  voyage  of  from  100 
to  150  days  on  the  fathomless  deep,  without  the 
relief  of  a  landing,  and  with  scarcely  a  sight  of 
land."  "The  ideal,  too,  of  a  true-hearted  mis- 
sionary in  those  days  was  very  Hke  that  of  an 
exile  for  life,  with  little  more  than  a  vague, 
dreamlike  hope  of  ever  returning."  It  was  par-  Mrs.  Gordon's 
ticularly  hard  for  Mrs.  Gordon  to  make  up  her  Family. 
mind  to  go  so  far.  She  was  an  ardent  lover  of 
home  and  quiet  retirement,  and  had  never  in 
her  life  been  far  away  from  home.  Her  parents 
being  both  alive,  the  home  circle  was  still  prac- 
tically unbroken.  To  one  of  her  retiring  dispo- 
sition, "the  prospect  of  thus  leaving  fifteen  or 
sixteen  thousand  miles  of  ocean  to  roll  for  an 
indefinite  term  of  years  between  her  and  the 
home  of  her  childhood,  of  meeting  only  stran- 
gers in  a  strange  land,  of  enduring  the  heat  of 


132  In  the  King's  Service 

a  tropical  climate,  and  of  raising  a  family  ex- 
posed to  heathen  influences,  was  formidable  in- 
deed. The  struggle  in  her  mind  between  duty 
and  inclination  was  intense,  and  it  was  almost 
equally  so  in  the  minds  of  her  parents."  The 
reluctance  on  the  part  of  her  parents  to  give 
their  consent  was  providentially  overcome  in  a 
remarkable  way.  Her  father,  in  a  lifetime  of 
tighty-six  years,  had  his  likeness  taken  but  once, 
and  that  was  on  this  occasion  of  my  mother's 
leaving  for  India.  Her  parents,  taking  her  lit- 
tle sister  Euphemia  along  with  them,  drove  to 
town  for  the  purpose  of  getting  this  likeness 
A  Bullet  taken.  On  their  return,  the  ball  from  a  careless 
and  a  hunter's  rifle  flew  in  front  of  the  other  two,  pass- 
Decision.  j^^g  close  by  little  Euphemia's  head,  and  struck 
the  mother  in  the  arm.  They  took  from  this  the 
lesson  that  it  was  no  safer  to  be  on  land  than  on 
the  ocean,  and  that  God,  who  fiad  preserved 
them  in  such  a  remarkable  way,  could  keep  their 
child,  even  though  she  be  in  a  far-oflf  heathen 
land. 
(yrdination.  "Another  important  event  took  place  on  the 
29th  of  August  (1854),  in  the  Charles  Street 
Church,  New  York.  The  Presbytery  met,  the 
congregation  assembled.  The  Rev.  James 
Thompson  preached  a  sermon  on  the  words, 
'Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you 
in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  unto  God.' 


Andrew  Gordon  133 

"This  was  the  first  sermon,"  said  Andrew  Gor- 
don, "I  had  heard  preached  in  public  for  my 
individual  benefit.  After  it  was  concluded,  the 
Presbytery  prayed,  and  laid  their  hands  on  me, 
and  solemnly  ordained  me  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  North  India.  That  w^as  a  solemn  hour,  in 
which  I  was  clothed  with  a  responsible  office, 
and  at  the  same  time  sent  away  to  my  great  life 
work." 

On    the  28th   of    September,  1854,    the  little  ^^^/r 

f  r  •     •  •  •   ■•  r  i.u     Missionary 

company  of  four  missionaries,  consisting  of  the 

Rev.  Andrew  and  Mrs.  Gordon,  their  little 
daughter  Louisa,  and  Miss  Elizabeth  G.  Gor- 
don, the  sister  of  Rev.  Andrew  Gordon,  set  sail 
from  New  York  in  the  little  sailing  vessel  "Sa- 
bine." The  voyage  occupied  139  days,  and 
they  landed  in  Calcutta,  the  capital  of  India,  on 
February  13th,  1855. 

On  this  long  voyage  Mr.  Gordon  kept  a  jour-  Dangers 
nal,  and  each  day  he  marked  the  latitude,  longi-  °^  ^^°- 
tude,  temperature  of  air,  temperature  of  water, 
course  and  distance  run.  The  maximum  dis- 
tance run  in  any  one  day  was  247  miles,  and  the 
minimum  10.  The  maximum  temperature  of 
the  air  was  89  degrees,  and  the  minimum  was 
36.  One  day,  while  in  the  Southern  Ocean,  they 
very  nearly  ran  on  an  iceberg.  Mr.  Gordon  was 
the  first  to  discover  it,  straight  ahead  in  the 
course  in  which  the  ship  was  sailing.  It  was  in 
the  gray  mist  of  the  early  morning,  and  not 
knowing  at  first  sight  what  it  was,  he  hurried  to 


134  111  the  King's  Service 

the  captain  and  asked  him  if  they  were  not  run- 
ning upon  an  island?  "Why,  no!  What — why — 
where — what  d'ye  mean?"  he  stammered  out 
hurriedly,  under  great  excitement.  Then  shout- 
ing orders  to  change  the  ship's  course,  he  ex- 
claimed impatiently,  "Another  of  those  dreadful 
icebergs!" 

The  "Sabine,"  not  being  a  regular  passenger 
vessel,  carried  no  other  passengers  except  these 
four  missionaries.  There  were  twenty-seven 
souls  on  board,  fourteen  of  whom  were  sailors, 
to  whom  it  was  unlawful  for  them  to  speak.  The 
steward  and  first  and  second  mates  could  be 
spoken  to,  but  it  was  not  proper,  according  to 
the  ship's  regulations,  to  be  sociable  even  with 
these.  There  were  six  left  besides  themselves, 
and  these  for  nearly  five  months  constituted 
their  only  companions.  This  would  not  have 
been  so  bad  had  they  only  been  congenial,  but 
they  were  not.  Of  the  six,  only  one,  the  Cap- 
tain's wife,  was  a  Christian,  while  the  rest,  viz., 
the  captain,  the  super-cargo  and  his  three  clerks, 
were  scoffers  at  religion.  This  made  their  voy- 
age, which  even  at  best  would  have  been  monot- 
onous and  tiresome  enough,  much  more  disa- 
greeable. 
Arrival  in  As  they  drew  near  to  Calcutta,  after  their 
India,  Jong  voyage,  their  feelings  are  thus  described 
by  Mr.  Gordon: 

"As  you  near  your  anchorage  in  the  port  of 
destination  the  desire  to  leave  the  old  ship  be- 


Andrew  Gordon  135 

comes  intense,  and  one  has  no  doubt  about  dry 
land  being  the  natural  abode  of  man.  Green 
fields,  trees  and  flowers  appear  more  beautiful 
than  ever.  The  sight  of  men,  animals  and  vehi- 
cles moving  about  affords  a  pleasure  unknown 
before.  Fresh  vegetables  and  fruits,  and  water 
that  is  not  drawn  from  old  casks  are  partaken 
of  with  a  keen  relish.  The  refreshing  smell  of 
land  is  a  delightful  contrast  to  the  strong  smell 
peculiar  to  a  ship.  The  monotonous  splashing  of 
water  upon  the  ship's  sides  gives  place  to  a 
hundred  musical  sounds  which  charmed  us  as 
they  had  never  charmed.  Even  the  bowlings  of 
jackals  along  the  jungly  banks  of  the  Hoogly 
are  music  to  a  weary  voyager.  Because  first  as- 
sociated with  our  approaching  land,  pleasant 
emotions  are  still  (thirty  years  afterwards) 
awakened  by  the  hideous  cries  of  those  sneaking, 
detestable  scavengers  on  their  nightly  rounds. 
Above  all,  there  was  a  kind  of  solid  satisfaction 
in  setting  one's  foot  down  on  something  that 
does  not  roll  and  pitch,  after  139  days  of  toss- 
ing upon  the  restless  ocean." 

"  Then  are  they  glad  because  they  be  quiet,  so 
He  bringeth  them  into  their  desired  haven.  O 
that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  His  good- 
tiess,  and  for  His  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men  ! ' ' 

Albany  Presbytery  had  ordained  Andrew  Gor-  Fisid of  work. 
don  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  "North  India."  Ac- 
cordingly  soon   after   landing   in    Calcutta,    he 


136  In  the  King's  Service 

started  with  the  family  for  the  Punjab.  Sial- 
kot  is  about  1400  miles  from  Calcutta,  and  at 
that  time  only  100  miles  of  this  was  railroad. 
They  made  this  long  journey  in  wagons,  drawn 
by  coolies.  It  took  them  twenty  days  to  reach 
Saharanpur,  where  they  were  received  with 
marked  hospitality  by  the  American  mission- 
aries of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 
Leaving  the  family  for  a  time  at  this  place,  he 
went  on  alone  to  Sialkot,  which  was  300  miles 
farther  on.  He  describes  this  journey  to  Sial- 
kot in  his  diary  as  follows: 

"On  returning  from  Dehra-Dun  and  Landour, 
I  found  my  wife  and  sister  ill  with  dysentery, 
and  was  prevented  from  starting  to  Sialkot  till 
July  30th.  This  is  somewhat  of  a  trial  to  be 
separated  300  miles  from  my  family  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  most  sickly  season  for  a  space  of 
three  months,  and  that  when  they  are  not  at  all 
well.  But  Providence  seems  to  point  me  to 
Sialkot,  and  unless  I  occupy  it  now  I  will  lose 
the  opportunity." 
Traveling  "Ludhiana,  August  2d  (1855).  Missionaries 
Northward,  here,  as  well  as  at  almost  every  other  station  I 
have  visited,  appear  to  be  groaning  under  a  load 
of  secular  business.  Can  I  not  avoid  this  evil? 
My  heart's  desire  is  to  give  myself  continually  to 
prayer  and  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  I  believe 
that  schools  and  printing  presses  are  chiefly  to 
blame.  The  system  of  attempting  to  convert 
heathen  in  schools  seems  to  me  new  to  be  more 


Andrew  Gordon  137 

like  the  wisdom  of  men  than  the  *fooHshness  of 
preaching,'  although  I  have  been  greatly  in  love 
with  it  until  lately.  Out  of  ten  mission  schools, 
some  of  them  numbering  as  high  as  500  pupils, 
and  some  of  them  of  near  twenty  years'  stand- 
ing, I  have  not  been  able  to  hear  of  any  converts. 
The  Free  Church  school  at  Calcutta  is  the 
eleventh  and  an  exception.  O  for  wisdom  to 
direct  me  in  this  important  matter!" 

"August  8th,  12  miles  south  of  Sialkot.  Stop- 
ped here  in  the  shade  of  a  tree  at  half-past  11 
A.  M.,  because  of  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun 
and  the  sultriness  of  the  weather.  There  is  no 
hot  wind,  but  my  watch,  stafT,  pillow  and  every- 
thing in  the  dooley  feel  hot,  notwithstanding 
the  thick  wool  covering  overhead;  and  the  bear- 
ers appear  to  suffer.  Some  of  them  are  sleep- 
ing now  on  their  upper  garment  spread  on  the 
earth,  some  are  smoking  their  hooka,  and  one  is 
mixing  bread  on  his  upper  garment  spread  on 
the  ground.  I  went  near,  but  he  was  concerned 
lest  it  might  be  polluted  by  my  touch  or  my 
shadow,  although  it  was  black  with  smoke  be- 
fore he  ate  it.  At  3  we  started  and  reached  Sial- 
kot at  8.  Captain  J.  Mill  received  me  with  great 
kindness!" 

He   arrived   in   Sialkot  with   just  $17   in   h.\s,  At  Sialkot 
pocket,   with  which  to  found  the   mission!     A 
subscription   paper   was   circulated  by   Captain 
Mill,  and  about  $250  raised,  and  with  this  sum 
he   moved   slowly  and  cautiously  forward   with 


138  In  the  King's  Service 

his  building  operations.  After  three  months, 
in  order  to  pay  the  traveling  expenses  of  the 
family  from  Saharanpur,  it  was  necessary  to 
borrow  money  from  his  friend,  Captain  Mill. 
The  situation  was  exceedingly  embarrassing, 
and  yet  for  a  period  of  seven  months  and  more, 
counting  from  the  time  of  their  landing  in  Cal- 
cutta, they  looked  in  vain  for  a  remittance  from 
the  home  land. 
Building.  After  enjoying  the  Christian  hospitality  of 
Captain  Mill  for  about  six  weeks,  he  determined 
to  erect  a  temporary  shanty  of  bamboos  and 
grass,  in  the  midst  of  his  building  operations, 
on  the  lot  purchased  southwest  of  the  city,  and 
move  into  it,  where  he  could  more  efifectually 
superintend  the  building  of  our  first  mission 
home.  On  the  day  after  moving  into  this  shanty, 
he  thus  describes  his  thoughts  and  emotions: 

Reminiscen-      "The    28th  of    September    has  now    dawned. 
ces  and  Qne  year  ago  to-day  our  hearts  were  full  and 

Reflections.  ^^^^  ^^^^  be-dimmed  with  tears  as  we  stood  on 
the  deck  watching  for  and  responding  to  the  last 
flutterings  of  white  along  the  living  line  on  the 
receding  shore  of  our  dear  native  land.  To-day 
I  have  again  cut  loose  and  pushed  out  upon  the 
black  waters  of  Heathendom.  A  people  degrad- 
ed and  filthy,  poor  and  ignorant,  lazy,  dishonest 
and  deceitful,  and  ingenious  chiefly  in  the  one  art 
of  securing  their  penny  a  day  without  fairly 
earning  it,  are  swarming  around  me.  Six  hun- 
dred and  forty  thousand  of  these  in  the  district 


Andrew  Gordon  139 

of  Sialkot,  without  a  native  Christian!  My  life's 
work  is  now  before  rne.  After  twelve  months 
of  journeying  the  end  is  reached.  After  many 
years  of  tossing,  I  light  down  at  last  and  feel 
very  distinctly  a  new  experience  which  I  never 
enjoyed  previous  to  this  day — a  comfortable 
sense  of  relief  and  rest  in  the  thought  that  I  am 
now  definitely  settled  for  life.  All  this,  a  short 
time  ago,  was  as  foreign  to  my  thoughts  as  heat 
to  the  North  Pole.  Surely  the  Lord  has  led  me 
in  a  way  I  knew  not.  Thus  I  soliloquized  when 
fairly  settled  in  the  mission  hut." 

"I   will  instruct   and  teach  thee,  and  lest  thou 
turn  a.side, 
I'll  in  the  way  direct  thee,  my  eye  shall  be  thy 
guide." 

In  less  than  two  years  after  moving  into  the  ^^^  ^e/joy 
mission  compound,  the  terrible  Sepoy  Rebellion  "^°^"'°"- 
of  1857  burst  "like  a  desolation  cyclone"  upon 
the  Uttle  mission  band  at  Sialkot.  All  the  Euro- 
pean and  American  residents  in  the  place  had  to 
flee,  and  those  who  neglected  or  failed  to  do  so 
were  murdered  by  the  mutineers.  Shelter  was 
afforded  by  the  government  in  the  fort  at  La- 
hore, seventy  miles  south  of  Sialkot,  and  to 
this  place  Dr.  Gordon  escorted  the  women  and 
children  of  the  mission  families.  He  describes 
this  journey  as  follows: 


140  In  tHe  King^s  Service 

"There  were  two  buggies  for  our  three  fami- 
lies (Mr.  Hill's,  Mr.  Stevenson's  and  his  own), 
and  at  9  o'clock  P.  M.  on  the  nth  of  June,  I 
set  out  on  horseback  to  escort  them  to  a  place 
of  safety.  A  wearisome  and  perilous  journey  of 
seventy  miles  lay  before  us.  Though  our  imme- 
diate vicinity  was  still  free  from  actual  scenes 
of  blood,  yet  an  outbreak  was  as  liable  to  take 
place  there  as  elsewhere,  and  all  was  uncertainty. 
From  day  to  day  we  were  constantly  agitated 
by  fresh  tidings  of  garrisons  revolting,  now  in 
this  station  and  again  in  that  one.  Bloody  mas- 
sacres were  perpetrated,  first  in  one  quarter  and 
then  in  another.  Squads  of  mutinous  Sepoys 
were  at  large,  roving  about  the  country.  The 
seventy  thousand  Sepoys  in  North  India,  thor- 
oughly drilled  by  English  army  officers,  were 
rapidly  turning  against  us.  In  a  large  portion 
of  India  the  people  also  were  up  in  insurrection, 
and  the  very  air  was  filled  with  rumors  which 
were  most  disheartening  and  horrifying  to  the 
mere  handful  of  foreigners." 
A  Critical  ''By  all  these  things  different  individuals  were 
Moment  variously  affected.  It  was  well  that  some  of  us, 
like  soldiers  after  the  first  volley  or  two,  were 
not  troubled  with  fear  after  the  first  few  hours 
of  panic.  But  these  mothers,  with  darling  babes 
in  their  arms,  how  could  they  thus  cast  off  fear? 
As  I  moved  down  the  road  toward  Gujranwala 
with  my  precious  charge  in  the  solemn  stillness 
of  that  fearful  night,  it  was  most  painful  to  wit- 


Andrew  Gordon  141 

ness  the  forebodings  of  approaching  danger  from 
which  some  of  our  little  company  continually 
suffered.  A  Persian  wheel  creaking  in  the  dis- 
tance, the  hoot  of  some  lonely  owl,  a  bat  flitting 
by  in  the  air  would  cause  them  to  quake.  Im- 
agination transformed  almost  every  object  that 
met  the  ear  or  the  eye  into  a  murderous  Sepoy. 
*  *  *  In  one  instance  I  was  compelled  to  admit 
the  approach  of  something  that  was  much  more 
alarming.  The  sound  of  horses'  feet  was  first 
heard  faintly  in  the  distance,  then  more  distinct- 
ly, and  evidently  approaching  nearer  and  nearer. 
A  moment  later  and,  behold,  a  company  of  horse- 
men galloping  up  the  road  toward  us!  I  bade 
our  party  move  aside  to  the  left  and  remain  per- 
fectly quiet,  whilst  I  rode  a  little  forward  and 
halted  directly  between  them  and  whatever 
might  be  coming.  There  could  be  no  mistake 
this  time,  for  there  they  were,  a  dozen  or  more 
of  real  Sepoys,  formidably  armed  and  mounted, 
coming  right  on  at  a  full  gallop!  I  had  a  pair  of 
saddlebags  under  me.  Reaching  down  into  the 
pocket  at  my  right,  I  grasped  a  loaded  pistol, 
and  sat  thus  in  readiness,  thinking  it  would  be 
right  to  use  it,  and  to  sacrifice  my  life  if  neces- 
sary in  defense  of  my  charge,  and  our  timid 
little  company  sat  trembling,  when  the  Sepoys, 
dashing  up,  came  to  a  sudden  halt  on  the  road 
just  beside  us.  Another  second  and  they  were 
galloping  on  their  way.  It  was  only  necessary 
for  us  to  remember  a  well-known  native  custom 


142  In  the  King's  Service 

in  order  to  perceive  that  their  halting  before 
they  passed  us  was  an  act  of  respect;  and  thus 
relieved,  we  all  dared  to  breathe  once  more, 
knowing  that  whatever  might  be  in  the  hearts 
of  these  Sepoys,  they  were  up  to  the  present  mo- 
ment at  least  practically  loyal." 
First  'pjig  f^j-g^  baptisms  in  the  mission  took  place 
Baptisms.  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^  October,  1857,  when  a  Brahmin, 
the  very  highest  caste,  and  a  Chuhra,  an  out- 
cast, or  one  without  any  caste,  stood  up  together 
and  were  baptized. 

The  next  seven  years  of  Air.  Gordon's  life  were 
spent  in  Sialkot.     During  that  time  one  of  his 
missionary  colleagues,  Mr.  Hill,  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  mission  and  went  to  America, 
while  another  one,  Dr.  J.  S.  Barr  and  wife,  came 
out  from  America  and  joined  the  mission. 
Invalided      On  the  29th  of  February,  1864,  after  incessant 
Home,  labors,  carried  on  under  very  discouraging  and 
trying  circumstances,  his  health  gave  way.  With 
a  groan  he  laid  his  head  upon  the  table  at  which 
he  was  sitting,  and  from  that  day  forward  for 
several  years  he  was  laid  aside  from  work  en- 
tirely with  nervous  prostration,  and  on  the  28th 
of  November,  that  same  year,  in  company  with 
Mr.   Stevenson  and  family  and  his  own   sister, 
who  were  also  broken  down  in  health,  he  and  his 
family  left  for  America. 
War  and      At  the  time  they  reached  home,  the  United 
Hard  Times,  grates  had  just  passed  through  the  terrible  or- 
deal of  the  Civil  War.     Living  was  enormously 


Andrew  Gordon  143 

expensive,  as  much  as  a  hundred  dollars  havin<:^ 
to  be  paid  for  a  good  suit  of  clothes,  and  from 
fourteen  to  twenty  dollars  for  a  serviceable  pair 
of  shoes.  Under  these  circumstances  it  was 
difficult  to  make  ends  meet.  The  state  of  his 
health  did  not  permit  him  to  take  charge  of  a 
congregation,  or  fill  any  appointments  to  preach. 
For  a  while  he  tried  to  earn  a  little  money  by 
peddling  soap  from  door  to  door  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  but  the  heat  of  the  hot  weather 
made  it  impossible  for  him  even  to  do  this. 
John  Wanamaker  invited  him  to  give  a  talk  on 
India  to  the  Bethany  Sabbath  school.  Finding 
that  his  strength  enabled  him  to  do  this,  he  gave 
the  same  talk  in  some  of  the  churches  of  the 
city,  and  was  invited  to  speak  in  some  of  the 
New  York  churches  also.  Aided  by  his  daugh- 
ter and  a  little  native  boy  whom  he  took  home 
with  him  from  India,  he  gradually  added  features 
of  interest  to  his  talk,  and  in  connection  with  it 
exhibited  some  curios  from  India.  He  traveled 
for  three  years  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  lec- 
turing on  India,  and  interesting  the  people  in  the 
field  and  the  work.  When  he  succeeded  so  well 
with  this  "Hindoo  Exhibition,"  he  was  tempted 
to  make  a  big  thing  of  it,  viz.,  to  import  some 
natives  from  India,  and  a  lot  more  curios,  and 
make  a  hig  show.  But  feeling  that  this  was  not 
his  calling,  he  gave  up  this  work  just  as  it  began 
to  be   a  financial   success.     He   then  bought  a 


India. 


144  In  the  King's  Service 

house  and  lot  in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  where  his 
youngest  brother  David  was  settled  as  pastor, 
and  went  into  the  lumber  business  in  that  place. 
He  carried  this  on  for  a  short  time,  but  just  as 
soon  as  his  health  permitted,  he  took  charge  of 
a  congregation.  He  organized  the  congregation 
of  Garner,  Iowa,  and  spent  the  winter  of  1872- 
'yT,  preaching  in  that  newly  settled  country. 
Returning  to       g^j.  j^jg  j^^^^^  ^^g  j^  Jndia,  and  as  soon  as  his 

health  permitted,  he  returned  to  his  work  there. 
In  the  autumn  of  1875,  i"  company  with  his 
family,  he  set  sail  from  Philadelphia,  in  the 
steamship  Ohio.  After  twelve  days  of  sailing 
across  the  Atlantic,  they  landed  in  Liverpool, 
England.  Going  from  there  to  London,  they 
took  another  ship,  which  landed  them  in  Bom- 
bay in  just  one  month's  time.  This  trip  was  very 
much  shorter  and  in  many  ways  formed  a  great 
contrast  to  the  one  undertaken  twenty-one  years 
before  in  the  "Sabine." 

The  ten  years  between  '75  and  '85  were  spent 
mostly  in  the  new  mission  station  of  Gurdaspur. 
Work  had  been  started  in  this  station  two  or 
three  years  previous  to  this  time,  but  the  church 
building  in  the  city  and  the  mission  residence 
near  by  were  built  by  him,  and  evangelistic  work 
in  the  city  and  district  was  pushed  as  vigorously 
as  possible. 

Extracts  from  a  letter  written  during  this 
period  to  the  "United  Presbyterian"  will  give  a 
glimpse  of  his  life,  and  will  also  show  how  it  was 


Andrew  Gordon  145 

his  habit  to  utilize  every  opportunity  of  pre- 
senting Christ  as  the  Savior  of  men  to  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  The  subject  of  the 
letter  is  "Going  to  Presbytery." 

"The  direct  route  from  Gurdaspur  to  Sialkot  Going  to 
across  country  is  about  sixty-four  miles,  but  this  Pf^sbytery. 
road  having  many  bridgeless  streams,  being  lit- 
tle traveled  and  much  broken  by  the  rains,  it 
was  thought  better  to  go  to  Amritsar,  forty-four 
miles  distant,  take  the  cars  around  to  Wazira- 
bad,  ninety  miles,  and  thus  reach  Sialkot  by 
twenty-seven  miles  more  of  wagon  road.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  horse  and  buggy  were  hired  from  the 
livery  stable  with  which  to  reach  Amritsar.  I 
have  used  the  terms  'buggy'  and  'livery  stable' 
for  convenience,  but  must  explain. 

"*  *  *  The  horse,  like  nearly  all  native-bred 
and  native-owned  horses,  consisted  of  the  frame, 
outside  covering  and  a  scant  filling,  with  the 
temper  and  manners  badly  spoiled  in  the  break- 
ing. 

"It  take  much  experience  to  be  able  to  seat 
yourself  comfortably  on  this  three  by  three  and 
a  half  foot  platform.  *  *  Besides,  the  platform  is 
highest  at  the  front  end,  which  tends  to  tilt  you 
backwards;  the  back  at  the  same  time  pitches 
forward  at  the  top,  so  that  the  very  thought  of 
wedging  your  body  down  into  that  acute  angle  is 
somewhat  painful.  The  plan  adopted  was  to 
fill  that  angle  with  our  roll  of  bedding  and  sit  in 
front  of  it,  extending  the  legs  forward  at  one 


146  lu  the  King's  Service 

side  of  the  horse,  and,  for  a  change  of  position, 
putting  them  at  the  other  side  or  both  sides. 
The  native  name  of  this  vehicle  is  a  yekka. 
Rough  Travel.  -  *  *  *  jj^g  program  was  to  reach  Amritsar, 
if  possible  by  i  o'clock  in  the  night,  and  get 
three  hours'  sleep  at  the  railway  hotel  before  the 
5  o'clock  train  would  arrive.  Batala,  twenty 
miles  on  the  way,  was  reached  at  about  10 
o'clock,  when  a  new  horse  and  driver  took  the 
place  of  the  old.  There  is  generally  much  ado  to 
get  a  native-bred  horse  into  motion.  *  *  *  After 
a  while  the  driver  himself  became  impatient, 
and  with  much  vehemence  called  the  horse  an 
infidel!  At  this  the  animal  appeared  somewhat 
startled,  but  the  effect  was  of  short  duration. 
The  driver  then  called  the  meek  suflferer  a  thief, 
and  then  the  son  of  a  thief,  and  added  that  he 
would  get  down  and  staighten  him.  This  latter 
threat  seemed  effectual,  and  we  got  fairly  into 
motion.  An  effort  to  sleep  seemed  now  in  order, 
and  assuming  the  shape  of  a  carpenter's  square, 
with  the  body  across  the  yekka  and  the  feet  out 
beside  the  horse,  I  might  have  succeeded  if  the 
wheels  had  been  round;  but  they  were  not  ex- 
actly so,  and  the  thump,  thump,  thumping  in- 
duced me  to  abandon  the  attempt,  and,  instead 
of  sleeping,  to  get  acquainted  with  my  only 
companion  and  to  teach  him  something  good. 

"In  answer  to  my  questions,  Miram  Bux,  who 
though  a  Mohammedan,  seemed  teachable  and 
sociable,  informed  me  that  he  was  the  brother 


Andrew  Gordon  147 

(which  means  very  near  relative,  and  in  this  case 
meant  brother-in-law)  of  Allah  Ditta,  who  had 
brought  me  as  far  as  Batala,  that  they  were  not 
hired  drivers,  but  owners  of  their  horses. 

"  'Are  your  parents  living?'  I  asked. 

"  'No,'  said  he.  'My  father  died  eighteen  years 
ago,  and  my  mother  five.' 

"  'What  is  your  age?* 

"  'Thirty-five  or  thirty-six,'  was  his  reply. 

'"How  do  you  know?' 

"  'My  mother  said  I  was  thirty-two,  and  she 
died  five  years  ago.' 

"  'Is  it  just  five  years  ago?'  is  asked. 

"  'Well,'  he  said,  'it  may  be  a  couple  of  months 
less  or  more.'  I  took  no  notice  of  these  dis- 
crepancies (which  are  to  be  considered  very 
slight  indeed  among  a  people,  multitudes  of 
whom  cannot  tell  within  five  or  ten  years  of 
their  true  age),  but  continued  to  ask: 

"  'Did  your  mother  know  she  was  going  to 
die?' 

"  'No,'  he  said,  'no  one  ever  knows  just  when  Personal 
he  is  going  to  die.'  I  then  told  him  the  story  Work. 
of  a  good  man  who  was  stoned  to  death  for 
preaching  God's  word,  and  who  saw  Jesus  at 
the  right  hand  of  God  and  prayed,  'Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit' — then  knelt  down  and  prayed 
for  his  murderers,  and  immediately  died.  He 
expressed  great  admiration  at  so  wonderful  a 
death  of  so  good  a  man,  and  corrected  his  for- 
mer remark  by  saying:  'My  father,  just  a  week 


148  In  the  King's  Service 

before  his  death,  called  mother  to  his  bedside, 
and  bade  her  show  me  (their  only  son)  the  place 
where  the  family  treasure  was  hidden;  but  she 
tried  to  persuade  him  that  death  was  not  so 
near  as  all  that,  and  that  he  would  sopn  be  well. 
Father  became  angry  at  her  disobedience,  and 
told  me  the  spot  where  it  was  buried  (a  secret 
known  only  to  themselves  hitherto).  I  dug  in 
the  clay  floor  as  directed,  and  found  the  earthen 
pot  which  contained  one  thousand  seven  hund- 
red and  twenty-five  silyer  rupees,  a  pair  of  solid 
gold  bracelets  worth  600  rupees,  and  a  pair 
of  silver  bracelets  worth  thirty-two,  besides 
a  few  earings  and  other  jewels.' 

"  'Have  you  got  it  all  yet?'  I  inquired. 

''  'The  money,'  he  replied,  'is  all  gone,  and  was 
chiefly  spent  on  the  marriage  of  two  sisters, 
and  some  other  dependent  relatives.  Only  the 
gold  bracelets  now  remain.  These  I  intend  to 
sell  by-and-by.  and  spend  100  rupees  of  the 
money  for  rice  and  clothing,  to  feed  and  clothe 
Maulvies  (Mohammedan  D.  Ds.)  and  other  good 
people.' 

"'Can  you  read?'  I  inquired. 

"  'Yes,'  he  replied,  'I  have  read  the  World  ot 
God  (meaning  the  Koran)  all  through  in  Arabic' 

"'Do  you  understand  the  Koran?' 

"'O,  no,'  said  he,  '1  did  not  read  it  with  the 
meaning.' 

"  'Do  you  know,"  I  .asked,  'that  the  Koran 
speaks  of  Jesus  in  whom  we  believe  as  the  only 


Andrew  Gordon  149 

Savior    of    sinners,    and    that    it    calls    him    a 
prophet,  and  the  Spirit  of  God.' 

"  *  *  *  In  view  of  all  this,  with  a  long 
journey  ahead,  calm  sky  above,  and  darkness 
around  us  shutting  out  all  diversion  and  inter- 
ruption, I  gave  my  companion  a  long  discourse 
on  the  life  of  Jesus,  the  Savior  of  men." 

"*  *  *  'Miram  Bux,  this  good  news  is  f*^^^^"^9 
for  you.  if  you  believe  in  Jesus  with  all  your  -,,  . 
heart,  he  will  know  it  and  remember  you.'  Here 
I  paused  and  was  silently  praying  the  Lord  to 
bless  his  word,  when  he  broke  the  silence  by 
asking.  'When  do  you  return  from  Sialkot? 
When  will  you  be  at  Gurdaspur?  Is  that  your 
house  that  is  building  there?  I  will  come  to 
you  often.' 

"  'Another  word,  Miram  Bux,'  I  said,  'what 
did  you  say  you  intended  to  do  with  that  brace- 
let money?'  He  answered,  1  am  going  to  feed 
and  clothe  Maulvies  and  other  good  people  for 
the  sake  of  m.erit  in  the  day  of  judgment.' 

"  'But  you  must  not  trust  in  that,'  I  replied. 
'Our  righteousness  is  as  nothing.  If  you  should 
steal  one  rupee  out  of  my  pocket  to-night,  your 
thirty-six  years  of  good  conduct  would  not  save 
you  from  being  a  guilty  criminal.  *  *  *' 

"  'Again,  cannot  these  Maulvies  recompense 
you?  Jesus  said  that  when  we  make  a  feast, 
we  should  invite  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame 
and  the  blind,  and  we  should  be  blest  for  they 
cannot  recompense   us.' 


150  In  the  King's  Service 

"For  a  while  he  was  quiet  and  thoughtful,  and 
then  said: 

"  'When  I  spend  the  money,  I  will  not  do  so 
without  first  consulting  you; 

"During  this  long  conversation,  the  original 
program  for  the  night  was  forgotten.    The  hours 
passed  swiftly,  the  horse  moved  slowly  and  to 
our  surprise  it  was  nearly  train  time  when  we 
reached  Aniritsar." 
Rich      During  his  stay  in  India  between  the  years 
Harvests.  '^^  ^^^  ^g^^  j^jg  heart  was  greatly  rejoiced  at 
seeing    large    ingatherings    of    souls    into    the 
Church  and  Kingdom  of  Christ.    He  had  sowed 
in  tears,  and  it  was  an  unspeakable  pleasure  to 
him  to  see  that  his  labor  had  not  been  in  vain 
in  the  Lord.     During  this  period,  the  number 
of  communicants  in  the  mission  field  grew  to  be 
over  two  thousand.     In  the  spring  of  the  year 
1885,  he  returned  to  America.     Nominally,  this 
was  for  a  rest,  but  not  practically  so.     At  the 
solicitation  of  Rev.   W.   W.   Barr,  D.   D.,  and 
Writing  a  R^v.  J.  B.  Dales,  D.  D.,  the  worthy  President 
History,  and  venerable  Corresponding  Secretary  of  our 
Foreign   Board  at   that   time,   he  was   mduced 
to  undertake  the  writing  of  the  history  of  our 
mission  in  India,  during  the  first  thirty  years  of 
its  existence.     Some  time  before  he  started  for 
America,  in  the  midst  of  his  other  missionary 
labors,  he  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  and  energy 
in  collecting  and  selecting  material  for  this  his- 
tory, and  after  reaching  the  home-land,  he  thor- 


Andrew  Gordon  151 

oughly  revised  his  work,  and  then  undertook 
the  publishing  and  selling  of  it  himself.  One 
great  desire  of  his  later  years  was  in  some 
way  to  earn  sufficient  means  to  enable  him  to 
be  an  "independent  missionary;"  and  one  reason 
for  his  wishing  so  earnestly  to  do  this  was  that 
others  who  had  the  means  might  be  led  to  fol- 
low his  example.  But  it  was  not  the  Master's 
will  that  this  plan  of  his  should  be  accomplished. 
While  still  busy  pushing  the  sale  of  his  book, 
"Our  India  Mission,"  he  was,  by  the  doctor's  Sickness 
orders,  compelled  to  leave  this  work  entirely,  (^"(1  Death. 
and  seek  a  rest  and  change.  Owing  to  weak- 
ness of  the  stomach,  brought  on  in  the  first  place 
by  having  to  board  himself  while  attending  Col- 
lege in  his  youth,  he  contracted  a  form  of 
bowel  complaint  which  obstinately  refused  to 
yield  to  remedies.  Consequently,  on  the  26th  of 
January,  1887,  he  left  Philadelphia,  and  spent  a 
few  weeks  in  Canada.  His  disease  getting  no 
better,  but  rather  growing  worse,  he  was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  enter  the  Sanitarium  at  Clifton 
Springs,  N.  Y.  Everything  that  skill  and  care 
and  the  kindness  of  his  many  friends  could  do, 
was  done  for  him.  But  his  work  on  earth  was 
finished.  One  week  before  he  died,  he  insisted 
on  being  taken  back  to  Philadelphia.  There,  in 
the  home  of  his  dear  friend,  Mr.  J.  K.  Shryock, 
who  had  rendered  him  valuable  assistance  in  the 
final  revision  of  "Our  India  Mission,"  and  for 
whom  he  entertained  the  deepest  regard  as  a 


152  In  the  King's .  Service 

friend,  he  quietly  breathed  his  last,  on  the  13th 
of  August,  1887.  His  grave  is  in  the  beautiful 
cemetery  of  "West  Laurel  Hill,"  near  Fair- 
mount  Park,  Philadelphia,  and  in  the  same  lot 
along  with  him  rest  the  mortal  remains  of  his 
daughter  Maggie,  who  died  three  years  later, 
and  his  wife  who  died  thirteen  years  after  he  did. 
The  inscription  on  his  tombstone  is  as  follows: 

REV.  ANDREW  GORDON,  D.  D., 

BORN,  PUTNAM,  N.  Y,  1828, 

DIED,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA,  1887. 

MISSIONARY  OF  THE  UNITED 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  TO 

INDIA  FOR  THIRTY  YEARS. 

"GO  YE  THEREFORE  AND  TEACH  ALL 

NATIONS."— MATT.  28:  19. 


Sophia  E.  Johnson. 


IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  THE  GREAT 
PHYSICIAN. 

SOPHIA  E.  JOHNSON. 

BoKN  IN  THE  Cantonments  of  Bareilly,  India,  in  1852. 
Died  at  Jhelum,  India,  Aprii,  qth,  1902. 

"And  as  ye  go,  preach,  saying.  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is 
at  band.  Heal  the  sick,  raise  the  dead,  cleanse  the  lepers,  cast 
out  demons;   freely  ye  received,   freely  give." — Matt.    lo:  7,  8. 

"Oh,  that  I  could  find  time  for  a  good  long  rest.  I  do  need 
it." — Mrs.  Johnson  just  before  her  death. 

"Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come, 
ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world :  for  I  was  hungry,  and  ye  gave 
me  to  eat;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink;  I  was  a 
stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I  was 
sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me." 
— Matt.  25:  34,  35,  36. 


IMPORTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
MRS.  JOHNSON'S  LIFE. 

1852.     Born  in  the  cantonments  of  Bareilly. 

1876.      Beginning  of   friendship  with  Gordon   family. 
Domestic  trials. 

1880.     Through   her  efforts,    the   Zenana   Hospital   is   opened   Sep- 
tember  17th. 

1885.      Enters    the     Pennsylvania     Women's     Medical     College     at 
Philadelphia,  in  October. 

1890.      Death  of  her  mother. 

Returns  to   India  as  medical  missionary. 

1896.     Good  Samaritan  Hospital  is  opened  at  Jhelum,  April. 

1900.     Returns  to  America  and  attends  Ecumenical  Conference. 

1902.      Dies  April  9th. 


V 
SOPHIA    E.  JOHNSON 

In  the  Footsteps  of  the  Great  Physician 
By  miss  MARY  J.  CAMPBELL 

It  is  Sabbath  evening  in  the  pretty  Httle  sta- 
tion of  Gurdsspur.  The  season  is  the  early  sum- 
mer. All  day  long  the  wind,  thick  with  dust 
and  hot,  has  raged,  and  found  many  an  entrance 
through  closed  doors  into  the  bungalows  and 
added  more  dust  and  heat  to  the  already  stifling 
atmosphere.  But  now  at  evening  time,  its  fury 
is  spent,  and  into  the  welcome  cool  of  the  twi- 
light may  be  seen  the  inmates  of  homes,  high 
and  low,  coming  out  wearily  to  seek  refreshment 
and  rest  in  the  pleasant  evening  air. 

Our  interest  is  centered  in  a  group  of  mis-  a  Missionary 
sionaries,  a  father,  a  mother,  a  son  and  two  Family. 
daughters  who  have  just  come  out  from  one 
of  these  dimly-lighted,  close  bungalows.  They 
are  glad  of  this  short  respite  from  the  heat,  even 
though  they  have  borne  cheerfully  the  long, 
sultry  hours  of  the  day.  Time  has  not  dragged 
in  the  misi^ionary's  home.  The  usual  morning 
services  have  been  held,  the  native  members 
of  the  household  have  been  carefully  taught  the 
Bible  lesson  for  the  day.    The  beggars  who  came 

155 


156  111  the   King's  Service 

to  the  door  have  no*  been  neglected.  The  blind, 
the  lame,  the  leper,  all  found  their  way  to  the 
door  of  this  kind-hearted  missionary  and  each 
one  received  a  little  food  and  was  told  of  Jesus, 
their  Friend. 
Sabbath  With  hearts  happy  because  of  a  day  spent  in 
Evening,  j-j^g  Master  .^  own  way,  the  members  of  the  mis- 
sionary family  gather  in  the  little  open  space 
between  the  bungalow  and  the  garden,  and,  as  is 
their  wont,  sing  from  memory  psalm  after  psalm 
as  the  twilight  merged  into  night.  The  strains 
of  the  tender  Shepherd  Psalm  float  softly  over 
the  rose-scented  garden,  to  a  little  camp  that  is 
pitched  beside  a  clump  of  bamboos  just  opposite 
the  missionary's  bungalow.  In  front  of  the  open 
tent  door  a  sweet-faced  young  woman  sits.  She 
has  lately  come  to  the  station  with  her  hus- 
band, who  has  secured  a  contract  for  government 
work  in  bridge  building. 

She  is  very  happy  in  her  canvas-covered  home 
and  busies  herself  all  day  long  in  the  home 
duties,  and  finds  time  to  help  her  husband  most 
efficiently  in  his  work  as  engineer. 
^he  Shepherd  As  she  listens  to  the  singing  from  over  the 
Psalm,  way,  she  wonders  who  her  neighbors  are.  "What 
are  they  s:inging?  How  familiar  the  words 
seem?  Ah,  yes,  that  is  a  psalm,  the  dear,  old 
twenty-third  psalm,"  she  says  softly  to  herself, 
and  her  eyes  moisten,  for  the  words  of  the  psalm 
bring  to  her  memories  of  her  happy  school  days 
in   Dehra   Dun  where   she   had  been   carefully 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  157 

trained  by  kind  American  teachers.  "On  the 
morrow  I  must  cross  over  and  see  who  my 
neighbors  are." 

Next  day  she  came  over  to  the  bungalow  and  Acquaintance 
introduced  herself  to  the  missionary  family,  and  *^i*t>  Gordon 
thus,  on  that  summer  day  in   1876,  began  the 
friendship  of  Mrs.  Sophia  E.  Johnson  with  the 
Gordon  family. 

Long  years  afterwards  when  the  youngest 
member  of  that  family  group,  the  Rev.  David 
Gordon,  now  a  missionary  himself  in  the  same 
old  station,  Gurdaspur,  pointed  out  the  places 
where  the  bungalow  and  camp  then  stood,  he 
said:  "Mrs.  Johnson  quite  won  the  hearts  of  our 
young  people  that  day  by  her  sunny  disposition 
and  whole-hearted  interest  in  us." 

In  Dr.  Gordon,  Mrs.  Johnson  found  a  friend 
who  prove<l  a  tower  of  strength  to  her  in  the 
<-roubIous  days  which  soon  befell  her.  How  little 
she  '.new  of  the  far-reaching  results  of  that  Mon- 
day morning  call  on  the  plain  missionary  fam- 
ily! The  acquaintance  so  pleasantly  begun  rap- 
idly developed  into  warm  friendship,  and  Mrs. 
Johnson,  so  full  of  energy,  asked  to  be  given 
an  opportunity  to  expend  some  of  it  in  the  help 
of  the  missionaries.  Dr.  Gordon  was  at  that 
time  in  great  need  of  money  with  which  to  com- 
plete the  church  building  which  he  had  been  led 
to  begin  erecting  in  the  principal  bazar  of  the 
town  some  time  before.      A    thousand    dollars 


158  In  the  King's  Service 

were  needed  for  the  completion  of  this  place  of 
worship.  The  money  must  be  raised  in  India, 
but  where  and  how?  Mrs.  Johnson's  offer  to 
help  was  most  timely,  for  when  she  learned  of 
the  present  need,  she  promptly  volunteered  to 
sj^o  forth  and  raise  this  sum  of  money. 

An  Errand  Leaving  her  happy  home,  she  started  forth  full 
of  enthusiasm  on  this  errand.  She  visited  friends 
in  some  of  the  large  cities  and  began  collecting 
the  money.  When  the  necessary  amount  had 
been  almost  raised  her  tour  brought  her  one  day 
to  the  old  historic  city  of  Delhi,  where  she 
hoped  to  quickly  get  the  remaining  rupees. 
While  there  on  this  labor  of  love,  a  shadow  fell 
upon  her,  a  shadow  that  blotted  out  all  the 
joy  of  the  past,  and  made  dark  the  dreary  future 
that  stretched  out  before  her.  The  burden  placed 
upon  her  seemed  greater  than  she  could  bear. 
Heartbreaking  An  English  woman  came  to  her  and  said:  "I 
^*^^'  am  Mr.  Johnson's  wife."  No  wonder  Mrs.  John- 
son refused  at  first  to  believe  these  cruel  words. 
She  naturally  thought  this  the  work  of  an  enemy 
and  utterly  false.  How  could  she  believe  this  of 
the  man  to  whom  she  was  married  five  years 
ago  in  the  English  church  in  the  city  of 
Jullunder;  tht  man  to  whom  she  had  given  her 
young  heart's  deepest  afifection!  Oh,  it  was  not 
possible  that  he  could  have  deceived  her! 
The  Fact       It  was  proven,  however,  to  be  true,  for  Mrs. 

Confirmed.  Johnson  bravely  had  a  searching  investigation 
made.     Broken  hearted,  she  turned  away  from 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  159 

Delhi  and  came  back  to  Gurdaspur.  Mr.  John- 
son, as  was  his  wont,  on  her  return  home  had 
the  servants  in  clean  livery,  drawn  up  in  a  line 
before  the  open  door  to  welcome  their  mistress 
home.  It  is  not  for  us  to  intrude  on  the  sad 
interview  that  took  place  when  the  doors  had 
been  closed  to  the  outside  world.  It  is  enough 
to  know  thai  Mr.  Johnson  bitterly  regretted  hav- 
ing deceived  her.  He  pleaded  in  extenuation 
that  he  had  learned,  as  he  thought  from  re- 
liable sources,  that  his  wife  was  dead  and  that 
he  was  left  free  to  marry  again.  His  wife  had 
deserted  him  and  had  given  him  every  reason 
for  being  lawfully  separated  from  her;  the  very 
mention  of  her  was  painful  to  him;  moreover, 
he  was  afraid  that  if  Mrs.  Johnson  had  known 
the  truth,  it  might  have  proved  a  barrier  to 
their  union.  These,  and  other  reasons,  he  now 
gave  for  having  kept  from  her  these  pages  of 
the  past. 

She  loved  this  man,  and  her  heart  was  well  The  Parting. 
nigh  crushed  with  the  thought  of  what  life  would 
be  without  him,  but  her  proud  spirit  could  not 
bear  the  deception,  and  she  felt  it  was  not  right 
for  her  longer  to  live  in  this  connection,  so  she 
chose  a  life  of  poverty  and  hard  work.  With 
what  results,  her  hosts  of  friends  in  India  and 
America  well  know!  Her  strength  and  true 
nobility  of  character,  shone  out  clearly  at  this 
time,  as  with  one  stroke  she  cut  oflf  a  life  of 
ease,  for  one  that  was  full  of  pain  and  sacrifice. 


i6o  In  the  King's  Service 

A  Friend  Jt  ^^g  at  this  juncture  she  learned  what  true 
staunch  friends  she  had  in  the  Gordon  family. 
Young,  alone,  without  any  visible  means  of  sup- 
port, misunderstood  by  those  who  loved  her, 
what  should  she  do?  To  these  missionary  friends 
she  now  turned  in  her  sore  distress  and  found 
comfort  and  help  in  their  sympathy  and  wise 
counsel.  A  short  time  afterwards,  she  felt  the 
call  to  give  her  life  to  the  missionary  work,  and 
she  joined  the  mission  band  in  Gurdaspur  as  a 
Zenana  worker,  being  associated  for  several 
years  in  this  work  with  Miss  Euphemia  Gordon. 
An  Absorbing  Summer  and  winter  they  visited  homes  in  the 
Work,  town  and  surrounding  villages.  In  this  minis- 
tration, they  were  made  sad  every  day,  as  have 
other  workers  since,  by  the  neglect  and  indif- 
ference shown  to  the  poor  suffering  women  who 
met  them  everywhere.  How  they  longed  to  help 
and  relieve  them!  They  now  began  carrying  sim- 
ple remedies  with  them. 
Humorous  Dr.  Johnson  used  to  laughingly  relate  one  of 
Incidents  those  first  experiences  in  dealing  with  the  sick. 
In  a  village  which  they  visited  one  day,  they  met 
a  poor  woman  who  was  in  great  agony.  She 
begged  them  to  help  her.  Now,  all  they  had 
left  in  their  bag  was  a  supply  of  epsom  salts. 
From  all  they  could  learn  from  the  symptoms 
described,  they  felt  this  was  not  the  medicine 
to  administer.  But  the  woman  and  her  neigh- 
bors were  so  importunate  in  their  demand  for 
medicine  that  a  dose  was  finally  given,  though 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  i6i 

with  reluctance.  The  ladies  thoroughly  alarmed 
lest  the  doss  might  prove  anything  but  beneficial 
hastened  home  and  went  straight  to  the  civil 
surgeon,  a  kind  Hindu  man,  and  told  him  what 
they  had  done.  They  described  the  case  as  care- 
fully as  they  could,  and  asked  anxiously  if  he 
thought  haim  had  been  done.  He  listened  quiet- 
ly, smiled,  then  said  with  deliberation,  "No,  I 
do  not  think  you  have  done  harm,  but  it  is  not 
customary  to  treat  a  case  of  tonsilitis  in  this 
way." 

This  Hindu  doctor  became  much  interested  in  Medical 
the  efforts  of  the  ladies  to  help  the  suffering  '"s''""^'''"'- 
women,  and  volunteered  to  give  them  some  med- 
ical instruction.  This  offer  was  gladly  accepted, 
and  once  or  twice  a  week  they  went  to  him  for 
lessons.  The  practical  knowledge  gained  by  Dr. 
Johnson,  in  those  days  of  preparatory  work, 
was  of  great  use  to  her  in  the  larger  work  which 
she  found  awaiting  her  in  after  years. 

Dr.  Behavi  Lai,  for  that  was  the  name  of  the 
Hindu  doctor,  belonged  to  a  reform  sect  of  Hin- 
dus called  Eiahmo  Somaj.  He  was  a  polite  na- 
tive gentleman  of  the  old  school.  Such  manners 
as  his  are  seen  all  too  rarely  in  these  days  of 
popular  English  education.  While  most  enthu- 
siastic for  the  welfare  of  his  own  sect,  he  did  not 
oppose  others,  and  was  favorably  impressed  with 
Christian'ty.  At  the  time  of  the  building  of  the 
church  in  Gurdaspur,  he  was  engaged  in  erecting 
a  place  of  worship  for  the  Brahmas.    There  was 


1 62  In  the  King's  Service 

a  bit  of  rivalry,  on  his  part  at  least,  as  to  which 
building  would  be  first  completed.  His  was  fin- 
ished first  and  a  few  services  held,  then  it  fell 
into  disuse,  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  mis- 
sion and  for  more  than  twenty  years  has  been 
the  home  of  the  native  pastor  of  the  congrega- 
tion. May  we  not  take  courage  from  the  thought 
that  even  the  best  reforms  of  the  old  faiths  can- 
not long  stand  before  God's  truth. 

The  Gurdaspur  church  was  finished  in  due 
time  by  Dr.  Gordon.  The  money  secured  by 
Mrs.  Johnson  on  that  sad  tour  was  sufficient 
for  the  purpose. 
A  Zenana  With  her  increased  knowledge  of  the  healing 
Hospital.  ^j.|.^  came  a  keener  realization  of  the  sufferings 
endured  by  her  sisters,  and  she  determined  to 
make  a  great  effort  to  help  those  of  the  town 
and  surrounding  villages.  We  learn  from  "Our 
India  Mission"  that  with  this  in  view,  a  building 
was  rented  near  the  new  church,  and  on  Sep- 
tember 17,  1880,  the  Zenana  Hospital  was  open- 
ed for  the  admission  of  patients  and  the  dis- 
pensing of  medicine.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  medical  work  in  our  India  Mission,  a  small, 
humble  beginning,  but  owned  and  blessed  by  the 
Great  Physician. 
Need  for  It  has  grown  until  now  we  have  medical  work 
Medical  Work,  [q^  women  firmly  established  in  four  Mission 
stations.  What  shall  we  say  of  the  need  in  the  re- 
maining stations,  11  in  number,  and  in  the  large 
outlying  districts,  overflowing  with  crowded  vil- 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  163 

lages  where  there  is  practically  no  skilled  med- 
ical aid  for  the  women.  Again  and  again,  the 
missionaries  look  on  with  aching  hearts  at  the 
untold  agony  sufifered  by  the  women  and  long 
for  the  time  when  the  kind,  gentle  ministrations 
of  women  physicians  shall  be  accessible  to  all. 
In  their  time  of  great  need,  the  women  go  to 
the  native  Hakim,  whose  treatment  seldom  gives 
relief,  and  is  often  brutal.  One  must  live  one- 
self in  a  place  far  from  medical  aid  in  order  to 
appreciate  what  the  native  population  suffer. 

Into  the  neat  little  hospital  opened  by  the 
Gurdaspur  ladies,  the  sick  began  coming  eager- 
ly from  the  town  and  near  villages.  It  needed 
no  advertising-  to  make  it  popular.  There  was 
a  yearly  average  of  one  hundred  patients,  grad- 
ually increasing  from  year  to  year,  who  received 
treatment  in  the  hospital,  besides  an  average  of 
2000  more  who  merely  received  medicines  and 
treatment  ar  the  dispensing  room. 

From  among  the  patients  two  young  women 
professed  their  faith  in  Christ  and  were  baptized. 

The  work,  growing  from  year   to  year,   and  4  full 
having  passed  the  period  of  mere  experiment,  Medical 
these  ladies,  experiencing  the  difficulties  and  re-  ^^"'^°*'°"- 
sponsibility  of  carrying  it  on  with  only  the  lim- 
ited knowledge  of  medicine  which  they  had  been 
able   to   acquire  under   great   difficulties,   went 
to  America  and  entered  the  Pennsylvania  Wom- 
en's Medical  College  in  Philadelphia  in  October, 
1885,  closing  the  Zenana  Hospital  until  thev  had 


164  In  the  King's  Service 

become  fully  qualified  as  physicians,  when  it  was 
hoped  the  work  should  again  be  resumed.  This 
hope  for  Gurdaspur  and  surrounding  places  still 
remains  unfulfilled. 

From  India  ^i^s.  Johnson  accompanied  the  Gordons  on 
the  long  sea  voyage  to  America.  We  know  it 
was  hard  for  her  to  leave  India,  the  land  of 
her  birth,  her  mother,  and  brothers,  who  were 
dear  to  her.  More  precious,  however,  than  all 
these  was  the  medical  knowledge,  in  whose 
quest  she  wa?  going  to  the  Western  World,  that 
she  might  be  fully  prepared  to  help  those  who 
were  always  pleading,  pleading  for  relief. 

Her  first  experiences  on  American  soil  were 
not  of  the  character  she  had  been  led  to  expect. 
Writing  back  to  India  she  said:  ''I  cannot  tell 
you  how  shocked  I  was  while  waiting  in  the 
Custom  House  in  New  York  for  our  boxes  and 
trunks  to  be  passed,  to  hear  the  terrible  oaths 
that  fell  from  the  lips  of  the  workmen.  I  never 
heard  anything  like  it  in  India." 
Power  of      She  quickly  learned  to  love  the  American  peo- 

Adaptation.  p|g  ^^^  g^^-jj^,  adapted  herself  to  the  new  life; 
indeed,  her  friends  thought  it  very  wonderful 
how  she  won  her  way  so  well  and  quickly  among 
a  strange  people.  She  made  friends  wherever 
she  went.  She  took  great  delight  in  assisting  in 
the  household  work,  and  was  always  helpful  and 
easily  entertained.  The  young  people  of  other 
homes,  as  v/ell  as  those  of  the  Gordon  family, 
now  learned  to  love  her. 


Sophia  K.  Johnson  165 

She  entered  upon  the  college  work  with  great 
enthusiasm.  AUhough  not  having  had  the  early 
educational  advantages  enjoyed  by  many  of  her 
fellow  students,  she  nevertheless  stood  well  in 
her  class,  lor  she  had  native  ability  and  had  done 
much  practical  work.  She  often  spoke  with 
deep  appreciation  of  the  help  she  received  from 
the  friendship  of  Rachel  Bodley,  the  dean  of  the 
Medical  College. 

Being  short  of  funds  and  having  heavy  ex-  Short  of 
penses  to  bear,  she  had  to  plan  ways  of  earn-  ^""°^' 
mg  money.  For  a  time  she  served  as  janitress 
in  the  college.  After  the  publication  of  "Our 
India  Mission,"  she  became  an  agent  for  that 
book,  and  v/as  most  successful  in  selling  copies, 
even  in  places  where  others  failed,  simply  be- 
cause she  would  not  give  up.  She  felt  she  was 
working  for  her  sisters  in  India.  She  spent  the 
vacations  of  her  last  two  years  of  college  life 
largely  in  giving  lectures  on  India.  She  was 
■popular  in  this  and  became  well  known  to  a  large 
circle  of  friends.  East  and  West.  From  this 
time  on,  she  had  no  lack  of  funds  with  which 
to  complete  the  medical  course. 

She  often  related  in  her  inimitable  way  (for  she  Her  First 
excelled  in  story  telling)  her  first  experience  on  Public 
the  platform  as  a  lecturer.     She  was  to  speak  ^°°''^*®' 
in  a  small  country  church  in  the  West.    She  had 
carefully  written  out  all  she  had  to  say,  lest  she 
might  forget.     "When  I  arose  to  address  the 
audience,"  she  said,  "a  trembling  fit  seized  me 


1 66  In  the  King's  Service 

and  I  shook  so  badly  that  I  clutched  the  manu- 
scripts firmly  with  both  hands  to  keep  myself 
from  sinking  to  the  floor.  It  was  with  difficulty 
I  could  see  to  read  what  I  had  written,  and 
my  voice  was  almost  beyond  control.  The  ner- 
vousness, fortunately,  passed  away  and  I  fin- 
ished, I  trust,  in  a  fairly  creditable  manner,  but 
never  again  did  I  trust  myself  with  a  written 
speech."  And  she  did  not  need  one. 
The  Women's  It  was  during  her  stay  in  America  that  the 
°  Women's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  or- 
ganized in  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  She 
was  deeply  interested  in  this  development  of 
women's  work  for  missions  and  considered  it  a 
privilege  to  help  its  growth  in  every  possible  way. 
She  won  a  place  for  herself  in  the  hearts  of  the 
members  of  the  Board,  as  well  as  staunch  sup- 
porters in  the  work  she  opened  on  her  return 
to  India  later  as  a  missionary  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church. 
Loyaliy  and  j^^j.  gratitude  for  sympathy  and  encourage- 
ment in  the  mission  and  church  at  home  during 
the  great  trial  of  her  life  won  her  to  our  church 
in  a  strong  affection  which  tempting  offers  for 
higher  salaries  in  other  churches  could  not  turn 
aside.  She  worked  for  our  church  and  our  Mis- 
sion with  a  zeal  which  was  highly  commendable. 
Mrs.  Johnson  took  an  active  part  in  the  Christ- 
ian work  in  Philadelphia  during  her  college 
course.  She  attended  the  North  Church,  of 
which  Rev.  Mason  W.  Pressly  was  the  pastor. 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  167 

She  helped  organize  a  Y.  W.  C.  A.  in  the  medical 
college.  Her  days  of  preparation  in  America 
were  well  spent,  and  in  1890,  when  on  her  return 
to  India  as  a  missionary,  she  was  appointed  by 
the  Mission  to  open  medical  work  in  Jheluni, 
she  seemed  in  every  way  well  prepared  for  this 
new  and  difficult  field  to  which  the  appellation 
"Stony  Jhelum,"  given  by  herself,  seemed  most 
fitting. 

She  met  v/ith  a  kind  reception  by  the  Mission,  Back  in 
and  was  warmly  welcomed  by  the  missionaries  India. 
of  Jhelum. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  twenty-five  Parentage 
years  of  age  when  she  first  met  the  missionary  and  Early 
family.  Her  birthplace  was  in  the  cantonments  '''^^' 
of  Bareilly,  five  years  before  the  mutiny  sent  a 
thrill  of  horror  throughout  the  civilized  world. 
Her  father,  who  was  of  Scotch  descent,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  British  army.  The  mother  was 
one  of  India's  own  daughters,  a  woman  of  an 
unusually  strong  character,  brave,  self  reliant 
and  devoted  to  her  family.  There  was  only  one 
bit  of  alloy  in  the  happiness  of  that  home.  The 
father  was  an  earnest  follower  of  Jesus,  but  the 
mother,  who  had  been  educated  in  a  convent, 
was  baptized  into  the  Roman  Catholic  faith. 
Her  mind  liud  been  poisoned  against  the  truths 
of  the  Bible.  Her  husband  was  greatly  con- 
cerned over  her  spiritual  condition,  and  made 
her  a  subject  of  much  prayer,  but  he  wisely  re- 
frained from  forcing  her  to  listen  to  the  reading 


1 68  In  the  King's  Service 

of  the  Bible  or  of  attending  Protestant  services. 
He  waited  patiently  and  prayed. 
>4  Remarkable  When  the  third  child,  Sophia  E.,  was  a  babe 
Conversion.  -^^  j^^^  mother's  arms  the  change  came.  Mrs. 
Watson  had  occasion  on  returning  from  mass 
to  cross  a  certain  bridge  where  a  missionary 
stood  preaching  to  a  large  crowd  of  people.  Baby 
Sophia  was  in  her  arms.  She  felt  it  was  a  sin 
to  hear  the  missionary's  words  and  tried  to 
stop  her  eavs,  but  had  the  use  of  only  one  hand 
as  the  child  had  to  be  supported  by  the  other, 
and  hence  could  not  efifectually  prevent  the  mes- 
sage from  being  heard,  which  was,  "The  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son,  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 
The  Blood  Although  annoyed  that  she  must  hear  the 
words,  yet  they  were  so  new  and  strange  that 
she  could  noi  help  pondering  over  them,  and  in 
a  day  or  so,  told  her  husband  she  was  convinced 
that  Jesus  only  could  take  her  sins  away.  She 
asked  him  to  call  the  missionary  that  she  might 
hear  more  about  Jesus.  Shortly  afterwards,  she 
was  admitted  into  the  Protestant  communion. 
Mrs.  Johnson  used  to  tell  the  story  very  effec- 
tively to  American  audiences. 
A  Mother's  One  who  knew  her  well  says:  "I  used  to  won- 
Love.  cler  where  she  got  her  strong,  independent  char- 
acter, but  discovered  it  when  I  met  her  mother 
in  Amritsar  during  Mrs.  Johnson's  absence  in 
America.  Although  Mrs.  Watson  was  really  ill 
and  feeble  from  fever  and  old  age  and  in  need 
of  special  care,  she  would  neither  let  the  mis- 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  169 

sionary  ladies  do  much  for  her  except  to  give 
medicine,  or  let  me  minister,  when  I  visited  her 
at  Mrs.  Johnson's  request.  She  did  not  want 
me  to  write  her  daughter  of  her  illness.  She 
was  afraid  if  Mrs.  Johnson  knew  of  it,  she  would 
hasten  her  return  and  not  complete  her  course. 
She  was  very  ambitious  to  have  Sophia  finish 
the  medical  course  and  do  it  well.  She  longed 
with  all  a  mother's  love  to  see  her  daughter 
again,  and  this  ardent  desire  prolonged  her  life 
many  days.  She  lived  very  economically  in  or- 
der to  save  something  from  her  small  income  for 
her  daughtei." 

The  desire  to  see  her  beloved  child  was  not  The  Sad 
to  be  fulfilled.  Shortly  before  Mrs.  Johnson's  l^^^^- 
return,  word  came  telling  of  the  now  severe  ill- 
ness of  her  mother,  and  begging  her  to  return. 
She  sent  back  by  cable  the  one  word  "coming," 
A  message  then  came  across  the  waters  saying 
■'mother  dead." 

Mrs.  Johnson  said  afterwards  to  a  friend:  "Oh, 
you  don't  know  how  it  almost  killed  me  to  hear 
of  my  dear  mother's  death."  It  was  lovely  to 
see  such  a  strong  affection  between  mother  and 
daughter  and  to  see  how  their  lives  were  bound 
up  in  each  other.  Mrs.  Johnson  had  a  strong  af- 
fection for  her  friends.  This  love  she  showed 
by  rendering  help  in  time  of  need  with  an  almost 
reckless  generosity. 

Mrs.  Johnson  had  four  brothers  and  two  sis-  a  Brother's 
ters.     Only  one,  a  brother,  now  remains  of  this  Recollections. 


ijo  In  the  King's  Service 

large  family,  Mr.  Watson,  of  Amritsar,  who 
retired  on  pension  a  few  years  ago,  after  a  long 
and  honorable  service  in  government  employ. 
The  writer  who  called  on  him  recently  found 
him  living  all  alone  in  his  once  beautiful  home, 
but  now  dismantled  and  bare.  When  asked  to 
give  some  reminiscences  of  his  sister,  his  reply 
was:  "She  was  a  good  woman;"  then  immediate- 
ly began  speaking  of  the  Bible  subjects  that 
now  engross  all  his  thoughts  and  time.  "I  do 
love  to  study  my  Bible,  nothing  else  is  worth 
while,"  he  said.  "All  my  family  is  on  the  other 
side.  I'm  longing  to  go,  too!  I  know  they  are 
watching  for  me.  So  you  knew  my  sister?  Oh, 
yes,  she  was  a  good  woman,  so  kind  and  gener- 
ous to  every  one.  How  I  miss  her!" 
Lore  for  Dj-.  Johnson  had  every  assistance  given  her 
owers.  j^y  ^j^g  Jhelum  missionaries  in  opening  her  med- 
ical work.  She  brought  all  her  old-time  enthu- 
siasm into  the  work.  She  was  pleased  with  the 
station.  She  loved  the  pretty  home  and  the  gar- 
den which  had  been  laid  out  with  so  much  taste 
by  the  missionaries.  She  was  passionately  fond 
of  flowers.  The  people  soon  learned  that  they 
could  benefit  themselves  by  contributing  to  this 
love  of  hers  for  flowers.  On  one  of  her  birth- 
days, a  man  came  to  the  hospital  bearing  a  bas- 
ket filled  with  roses.  A  Christian  said  to  him: 
"For  whom  are  these  flowers?"  "For  the  Dr. 
Mem  Sahiba,"  was  the  reply.  "And  why  do  you 
bring  them.?"    "Oh,  she  loves  them  very  much. 


Sophia  E.  Jolinson  171 

This  is  her  birthday,  and  you  see  she  will  give 
me  a  rupee  for  them." 

A  rented  building  was  secured  and  work  be-  Itinerating. 
gan  in  it.  Part  of  the  first  year  was  spent  in 
itinerating  m  the  large  district.  A  buggy,  which 
Dr.  Johnson  had  specially  planned  and  brought 
from  America,  was  used  in  this  work.  In  this 
tour,  she  became  well  acquainted  with  the  vil- 
lage people  and  afterwards  many  came  to  her 
for  treatment  in  Jhelum  when  she  had  estabUsh- 
ed  herself  there.  The  work  soon  outgrew  the 
rented  building.  A  dispensary  was  erected,  which 
did  good  service  for  a  few  years,  then  the  needs 
being  greater  than  this  building  could  accom- 
modate, the  Good  Samaritan  hospital  grew  into 
beautiful  proportions,  a  gift  from  the  women  of 
our  church. 

Dr.  Johnson  had  the  happy  gift  of  drawing 
good  assistants  into  the  work  and  she  was  able 
to  keep  them  loyally  attached  to  her  and  the 
work. 

Miss  Aileen  Moran,  a  young  English  lady  who  Training 
was  living  ir  Jhelum  when  Dr.  Johnson  came  to  Others. 
the  station,  was  persuaded  to  become  a  member 
of  the  household  and  lived  with  her  until  Dr. 
Johnson's  death.  She  was  known  by  all  as  the 
"Doctor's  Girl."  When  Dr.  Johnson  was  in- 
vited by  the  Women's  Board  to  attend  the  great 
Ecumenical  Missionary  Conference  held  in  New 
York  in  April,  1900,  she  was  accompanied  to 
America  bv  Miss  Moran.     She  trained  several 


172  In  the  King's  Service 

native  Christian  girls  as  nurses.  To  her  pa- 
tients, she  was  not  only  physician,  but  friend  as 
well.  A  missionary,  who  was  treated  by  her,  says: 
"While  I  was  with  her  she  was  so  attentive 
and  kind,  not  only  professionally  but  as  a  friend. 
I  was  living  in  another  station  when  I  began 
taking  her  treatment.  Thinking  I  might  get  dis- 
courage d,  she  wrote.  'Keep  up  heart  and  with 
God's  help  I  will  do  my  best  for  you,'  and  she 
did."  "Whilt  I  was  staying  with  her  later  on," 
the  same  missionary  says,  "the  doctor  one  day 
received  a  message  that  a  young  woman,  who 
had  been  her  patient  in  Jheluni,  was  ill  in  At- 
tock,  and  saying  that  she  was  anxious  to  see 
Dr.  Johnson.  Before  she  had  decided  to  go  an- 
other telegram  was  received  saying  that  she 
need  not  come,  as  the  patient  was  too  far  gone 
for  her  to  be  able  to  help  her.  Dr.  Johnson 
was  not  well  herself.  She  was  sufifering  severe- 
ly from  her  right  arm,  which  was  partially  para- 
lyzed, and  it  was  difficult  for  her  to  help  herself 
in  many  ways.  At  first,  we  all  opposed  her  go- 
ing, and  when  the  second  message  came,  we 
were  the  more  urgent  and  she  yielded  to  our  en- 
treaties not  to  attempt  the  journey.  So  we  sat 
down  to  dinner,  but  she  could  not  eat.  She 
said:  'That  girl  wants  to  see  me,  and,  even  if 
I  cannot  help  her  professionally,  I  can  show  my 
love  to  her  by  going  and  can  give  her  that  much 
comfort  before  she  dies.  It  is  by  loving  these 
people  that  we  can  win  them.'    So  she  gave  her 


Sophia  E.  Jolmson  173 

servant,  Mizam,  the  order  to  get  her  bedding  ^o'"  ^""e's 
and  a  few  other  things  ready,  and  she  started 
that  night,  Friday,  on  the  long,  cold  journey 
to  Attock,  which  was  over  a  hundred  miles  dis- 
tant. She  was  back  for  her  work  early  Mon- 
day morning.  All  the  journey,  in  the  trying 
cold  weather,  when  she  was  feeling  so  miserable 
herself,  was  taken  to  show  her  love  for  that 
young  girl.  On  her  return  she  told  us:  'I'm  so 
glad  I  went;  the  girl  just  put  her  arms  around 
my  neck  and  cried  when  she  saw  me.  I  could 
do  nothing  to  relieve  her,  for  she  was  far  gone 
in  consumption.' " 

A  very  repulsive  case  was  once  brought  to 
the  hospital.  The  nurses  said  they  could  not 
remain  near  the  patient.  Although  Dr.  Johnson 
demanded  strict  obedience  from  her  subordin- 
ates as  a  rule,  she  did  not  insist  this  time,  for 
she  saw,  herself,  how  well-nigh  impossible  it  was 
to  remain  beside  the  sufiferer.  But  the  woman 
was  not  allowed  to  suffer.  She  took  full  charge, 
herself,  dressed  the  sores,  and  never  allowed 
the  patient  tc  see  how  difficult  it  was  for  her 
to  come  into  contact  with  her. 

Her  unselfishness  was  apparent  to  all.  No 
matter  how  ill  or  weak  in  body  herself,  if  some 
one  needed  her  services,  she  rallied  all  her 
strength  and  energy  to  go  to  their  help. 

Much  was  crowded  into  the  last  days  of  her  Busiest 
life.    Always  busy,  she  seemed  now  to  have  more  °^  '^*  ^°^^- 
than  the  usual  burden  to  bear.    She  had  several 


174  In  the  King's  Service 

'difficult  matters  to  decide.  A  hard  journey  made 
in  the  heat  had  weakened  her.  A  week  before 
the  call  came  to  her,  the  Women's  Presbyterial 
was  held  in  Jhelum.  She  looked  after  the  com- 
fort of  the  delegates  in  her  usual  hospitable  way. 
Her  beautiful  home  was  thrown  open  to  every 
one. 

At  this  time  she  was  deeply  concerned  over 
a  patient  in  the  hospital,  a  poor  old  village  wom- 
an from  whom  she  had  removed  a  tumor.  The 
I>atient  had  to  be  carefully  nursed,  and  as  the 
work  was  very  heavy  for  the  young  nurses,  Dr. 
Johnson  insisted  on  taking  her  turn  at  watch- 
ing each  night  in  order  to  give  them  a  little 
relief. 
In  Need  A  few  evenings  before  the  end  came,  she  had 
of  Rest.  sQjT-jg  q{  ^i^g  station  missionaries  in  her  home. 
She  said  to  one  of  them:  "I  feel  so  weary  these 
days.  Come  and  sing  to  me,  Mr.  Morton.  1 
just  want  to  sit  still  and  have  you  sing  the  good 
old  songs  to  me." 

The  evening  preceding  her  death,  she  was 
seated  in  her  ofBce  upstairs,  so  very  tired  and 
exhausted.  She  said  to  her  assistant,  Miss  Mat- 
thews: "Oh,  that  I  could  find  time  for  a  good 
long  rest.  I  do  need  it!"  The  long,  long  rest 
was  even  then  very  near.  That  night  she  went 
to  the  hospital  and  spent  some  time  with  her  pa- 
tient. Caring  lovingly  and  tenderly  for  this  poor 
Punjabi  sister  was  her  last  service  for  the  Master 


Sophia  E.  Johnson  175 

on  this  earth.    She  would  not  have  had  it  other- 
wise. 

Coming  home  from  the  hospital  in  the  morn- 
ing, she  said  she  would  have  a  bath,  then  take 
a  little  rest  before  beginning  the  day's  work. 
She  went  to  the  bath,  but  was  gone  so  long  that 
her  favorite  servant,  Mizam,  became  alarmed 
and  said  he  knew  something  had  happened  to 
the  Dr.  Mem  Sahiba.  He  succeeded  in  alarming 
others.  Miss  Moran  shoved  open  a  door  and 
found  the  Doctor  seated  on  a  chair  unconscious. 
She  had  had  her  fourth  and  final  stroke. 

All  day  long  she  remained  unconscious.  Mis-  The  Long 
sionaries.  Christians,  servants — all  came  to  min-  ^®' 
ister  to  her.  That  night.  April  9,  1902,  she  pass- 
ed away  to  her  long  rest  without  having  regained 
consciousness.  As  soon  as  it  was  daylight, 
crowds  and  crowds  of  women  came  from  the 
town,  one  continuous  stream.  They  came  and 
went  so  silently,  not  in  the  usual  noisy  fashion 
of  Eastern  mourners.  Many  sat  on  the  floor 
by  the  bedside  crying  softly  and  many  brought 
flowers  and  strewed  over  her.  Some  refused  to 
leave,  when  asked  to  do  so  that  the  near  friends 
and  relatives  might  have  a  little  time  alone  with 
their  dead.  They  caught  hold  of  her  feet  and 
sobbed  out,  "She  loved  us  and  we  love  her!" 
''She  never  refused  us!"  "She  lived  for  us,  don't 
take  us  awny  yet!" 

At  the  church,  men  of  every  rank  and  station, 
by  the.  hundreds,  came  to  the  service  to  look 


176  In  the  King's  Service 

Tributes  once  more  upon  her.    Some  of  the  wealthy  na- 
0     ovean    |.j^,gg  loaned  their  carriages  for  the  funeral  and 


Respect. 


some  helped  to  carry  the  coffin  to  the  grave. 

The  manv  beautiful  flowers  sent  by  the  Eng- 
lish in  the  station  showed  the  honoi  with  which 
she  was  regarded  by  them,  as  did  also  the  large 
number  of  Europeans  present  at  the  burial  serv- 
ice. An  English  lady  wrote  of  her  after  her 
decease:  "'Dr.  Johnson's  bright,  cheery  manner 
quite  won  my  heart,  it  is  such  a  joy  to  meet  a 
cheerful  Christian!  She  was  a  warm  hearted, 
loving  woman,  who  in  small  things,  as  well  as 
great,  let  her  light  shine.  A  personality  such 
as  hers  exerted  a  wonderful  influence.  Sunshine 
in  character  is  as  welcome  as  it  is  rare,  and  all 
who  come  under  its  rays  are  the  better  for 
it." 

The  news  of  her  death  came  with  a  great 
shock  to  the  missionaries  of  the  other  stations. 
Many  of  them  could  testify  how  untiring  and 
faithful  she  was  in  serving  them  and  their  chil- 
dren. Even  if  it  was  her  vacation  time,  she 
willingly  gave  up  her  rest  time  to  minister  to 
them. 

Fifty  beautiful  years,  replete  with  good  works, 
have  been  lived  by  this  daughter  of  India.  Of 
sorrows,  she  had  had  many,  but  they  were  hid- 
den from  earthly  friends  and  told  only  to  Jesus. 
Sunshine  and  love  always  went  with  her.  Her 
work  was  finished.  The  rest  for  which  she  long- 
ed, eternal,  heavenly  rest,  was  granted  to  her. 


flR^^^^^^^^^HHHK' 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K         ^^^^^^^^^^^H 

^^AiIhiih 

Robert  Reed  McC^ure. 


THE  BEAUTY  AND  POWER  OF  A 
SURRENDERED  LIFE. 

ROBERT  REED  McCLURE. 

Born  near  McKeesport,  Pa.,  October  4Th,  1870. 
Died  at  Sialkot,  India,  April  27TH,  1900. 

"When  I  heard  of  these  poor  people  suffering  as  they  are  in 
this  life,  and  with  no  hope  for  a  life  eternal,  how  could  I  con- 
tinue to  amuse  myself  and  my  friends  with  my  profession." — 
Robert  Reed  McClure,  after  deciding  to  give  up  the  musical 
profession  in  order  to  become  a  missionary. 

"For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us;  because  we  thus 
judge,  that  one  died  for  all;  therefore  all  died;  and  he  died  for 
all,  that  they  that  live  should  no  longer  live  unto  themselves,  but 
unto  him  who  for  their  sakes  died  and  rose  again." — II.  Cor.  5: 
>4,    15- 

"Others  shall  sing  the  song, 
Others  shall  right  the  wrong, 
Finish   what  I  begin 
And  all  I   fought  for,  win. 
What   matter  I  or   they, 
Mine  or  another's  day, 
So  the  good  word  be  said. 
And  life  the  sweeter  made. 
Ring  bells  in  unreared  steeples, 
The  joy   of   unborn   peoples; 
Sound  trumpets,   far-off  blown. 
Your  triumph  is  my  own." 

—J.  G.  Whitticr. 


IMPORTANT  DATES  AND  EVENTS  IN 
MR.  McCLURE'S  LIFE. 

1870.     Born  near  McKeesport,  Pa.,  October  4th. 
1878.     Confesses  Christ. 

1882.     Admitted  to  Preparatory  Department  of  Westminster  Col- 
lege. 
1890.     Evidences  of   unusual   musical   talent. 
:89i.     Graduates  at  Westminster  College. 

Appointed     Musical     Director    at    Clarion     State     Normal 
School. 
1893.     Becomes  a  Student  Volunteer. 

Enters  Allegheny  Theological   Seminary. 

1896.  Appointed  as  missionary  to   India. 

1897.  Sails,  with  Mrs.  McClure,  for  India. 
1900.     Attacked  with  fever,  April  17th. 

Dies  April  27th. 


VI 
ROBERT  REED  McCLURE 

The  Beauty  and  Power  of  a   Surrendered  Lieb 
By  rev.  WILLIAM   B.  ANDERSON 

In  1870,  near  McKeesport,  Pennsylvania,  God  Parentage. 
sent  a  little  son  into  the  home  of  Richard  and 
Annie  Reed  McClure.  Mr.  Richard  McClure  is 
a  man  of  sterling-  qualities,  reserved  with 
strangers,  most  passionately  fond  of  his  family, 
and  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  know 
him.  His  wife  was  a  woman  of  beautiful  char- 
acter, sensitive,  musical,  and  a  devoted  Christ- 
ian. Into  such  a  home  came  this  little  son 
to  whom  the  name  Robert  Reed  was  given. 

His  boyhood  was  spent  in  his  home  in  the 
country,  where  his  parents  lived  until  he  was 
twelve  years  old.  Up  to  this  ag'e  he  attended 
a  country  school,  and  from  his  infancy  seems 
to  have  shown  more  than  ordinary  intellectual 
promise.  Of  those  days  the  following  pictures 
are  taken  from  the  "Junior  Missionary  Maga- 
zine:" 

"The  first  is    that   of    a    quaint   old    country  Public 
church,  where  a  large  congregation  gathered  one  ^^"f^^^ion 
bright,  beautiful   Sabbath   morning  more   than 
179 


i8o  In  the  King's  Service 

twenty  years  ago,  to  celebrate  the  dying  love  of 
our  Saviour.  Among  those  v^'ho  confessed  Christ 
among  men  for  the  first  time  is  a  noble  looking 
fellow  of  eight  years,  whom  the  visiting  min- 
ister solemnly  commends  to  the  love  and  sym- 
pathy of  the  older  members,  as  'the  youngest 
•  p^erson  he  has  ever  received  into  the  church, 
but  who  has  given  strong  evidence  of  an  intelli- 
gent faith.'  All  nature  in  its  summer  beauty, 
that  morning,  seemed  a  beautiful  surrounding 
for  so  fair  a  picture. 

"The  second  is  that  of  a  small  Sabbath  School 
assembled  in  a  country  school  house  some  years 
after.  The  central  figure  is  this  same  little  boy, 
who  now  comes  forward  and  in  a  clear  voice 
and  modest  manner  gives  the  full  text  of  the  les- 
son for  the  day  from  memory  without  a  single 
mistake.  'His  usual  custom,'  we  are  told." 
Ai  College.  In  1882,  when  Reed  was  twelve  years  old,  his 
parents  moved  with  the  family  to  New  Wilming- 
ton, Pa.,  the  seat  of  Westminster  College,  wher;e 
the  children  might  have  the  benefits  of  a  college 
education,  together  with  those  of  the  home  life. 
Re€d  was  soon  admitted  to  the  first  class  of 
the  Preparatory  Department  of  the  college,  and 
read  from  there  through  the  full  classical  course 
in  the  college  without  any  interruption,  except- 
ing the  year  of  his  absence  from  class  at  the  time 
of  his  mother's  death.  This  sad  event  made  a  very 
deep  impression  on  his  mind,  and  he  always 
spoke  of  his  mother  with  the  utmost  tenderness 


Robert  Reed  McClure  i8i 

and  reverence,  as  if  in  his  memory  she  were 
always  now  the  mother  glorified. 

His  life  in  college,  like  his  life  following  that 
time,  was  characterized  by  his  great  power  of 
concentration.  Whatsoever  his  hand  found  to 
do,  he  truly  did  with  his  might.  His  class  fel- 
lows in  college  and  seminary  were  astonished 
by  the  rapidity  and  thoroughness  with  which  he. 
could  master  his  lessons.  Either  he  did  not 
touch  a  thing,  or  he  did  it  well. 

Together  with  a  mind  of  strength  and  bril-  ^  Sound 
liancv.  God  had  eriven  him  a  body  of  unusual  ^^' 
heidth  and  vigor.  He  was  fully  six  feet  tall, 
with  a  powerful  frame,  muscles  like  hickory, 
and  a  deep  musical  voice.  While  taking  a  lively 
interest  in  the  athletics  of  the  college  he  did  not 
take  any  part  in  them  himself,  but  was  known 
as  a  tireless  walker.  Also  several  times  while 
in  the  seminary  he  rode  his  bicycle  from  his 
home  to  the  seminary,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles, 
between  breakfast  and  lunch,  and,  coming  in, 
went  about  the  ordinary  duties  of  the  day  claim- 
ing to  feel  no  fatigue  from  the  exertion.  He 
was  so  hardy  that  he  seldom  put  on  an  over- 
coat even  in  the  coldest  weather. 

While  he  must  have  been  a  marked  man  in-  Musical 
tcUectually  in  the  college,  his  intellectual  superi-  T°'^"^- 
ority  was  almost  lost  sight  of  in  the  greatness 
of  his  musical  talents.     His  mother  had  prayed 
that  her  little  one  might  be  given  marked  musical 
ability,  and  so  earnest  was  her  desire  for  this 


1 82  In  the  King's  Service 

that  when  she  heard  him  while  a  mere  baby 
hum  the  part  of  a  melody,  she  ran  weeping  with 
joy  and  caught  him  to  her  breast.  While  study- 
ing in  college,  he  also  began  his  musical  edu- 
cation. When  a  mere  boy  he  played  the  lead- 
ing cornet  in  the  town  band,  and  with  the  help 
of  a  friend  who  assisted  him  with  the  merest 
elements  of  violin  playing,  he  learned  to  play 
on  that  instrument.  In  the  college  musical  con- 
servatory, he  took  instructions  in  piano,  and  it 
was  upon  this  instrument  that  he  lavished  his 
efforts.  These  efforts  were  attended  with  early 
and  pronounced  success.  While  still  very  young 
he  astonished  friends  and  strangers  with  his  per- 
formances 111  public. 

After  his  death  an  intimate  friend  wrote  as 
follows : 
First  "The  first  time  I  saw  McClure  was  in  the  fall 
Impressions.  Qf  jggo,  when  I  entered  college  in  New  Wil- 
mington. It  was  on  the  first  evening  of  my  at- 
tendance at  a  literary  society,  and  some  one 
moved  that  Mr.  McClure  be  asked  to  favor  the 
society  with  a  piano  solo.  I  remember  there 
was  an  immense  round  of  applause  and,  in  the 
midst  of  this,  a  tall  boy  of  eighteen  rose  and 
crossed  the  hall  in  a  very  confused  and  embar- 
rassed manner.  When  he  seated  himself,  he  was 
so  nervous,  or  seemed  to  be  so,  that  I  was  sure 
he  would  not  be  able  to  get  through  a  selection. 
I  can  yet  see  him  so  well.  He  sat  a  moment 
looking  at  the  keys,  and  then  began  to  play  a 


Robert  Reed  McClure  183 

simple  piece,  'The  Shepherd  Boy.'  It  was  such 
a  simple  little  thing,  and  I  had  heard  it  so  of- 
ten before,  but  I  had  never  heard  it  in  that 
way.  I  forgot  that  the  player  had  seemed  nerv- 
ous when  he  sat  down,  and  I  forgot  that  I  was 
in  new  circumstances,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  col- 
lege audience,  and  i  saw  green  fields,  and  blue 
sky,  and  sunshine,  and  clouds,  and  I  heard  birds, 
and  brooks,  and  through  it  all  the  clear  tones 
of  a  flute.  Then  suddenly  I  saw  chairs,  and 
men,  and  the  player  rising  and  walking  nerv- 
ously back  to  his  seat  in  the  audience.  Then 
there  was  a  perfect  storm  of  applause,  and  an  en- 
core, and  that  was  the  first  time  I  heard  Mc- 
Clure play,  and  the  first  time  I  saw  him,  in  fact. 

"His  home  was  in  the  town,  and  he  was  then  A  Musical 
in  the  senior  year  in  college,  both  in  music  and  Enthusiast. 
in  the  classical  course.  I  soon  learned  to  know 
him  as  a  great  musical  enthusiast.  I  think  no 
one  of  us  ever  called  him  a  'crank,'  for  he  had 
too  much  genius  to  be  that,  and  we  were  all 
too  fond  of  him  and  his  music.  An  enthusiast 
he  was,  though,  and  he  seemed  to  think  of  noth- 
ing but  his  music  all  the  day,  and  I  suppose 
from  his  conversation  that  he  dreamed  of  it  at 
night.  My  picture  of  him  in  the  old  college 
days  is  either  in  the  street  carrying  a  pile  of 
sheet  music  under  his  arm,  or  sitting  at  the 
piano  oblivious  to  all  else  on  earth.  He  had  a 
remarkable  memory,  and  used  to  commit  a  great 
number  of  selections  to  memory  so  that  the  notes 


184  In  the  King's  Service 

would  not  be  'in  his  way.'  He  was  thorough  to 
a  degree,  and  would  pound  at  a  passage  until 
he  had  it  10  his  entire  satisfaction.  His  endur- 
ance of  mind  and  body  seemed  to  know  no 
end,  and  he  would  sit  and  practice  hour  after 
hour,  and  say  that  he  did  not  feel  in  the  least 
fatigued.  In  that  year  music  was  his  air  and 
sunshine,  and  how  he  enjoyed  life  in  it!" 

In  June,  1891,  he  graduated  from  Westminster 
College  in  the  classical  course,  doing  himself  the 
credit  of  passing  with  honors.  He  also  gradu- 
ated from  the  conservatory  in  the  same  year, 
with  the  assurance  of  his  teachers  and  friends 
that  he  had  a  great  musical  career  before  him 
if  he  improved  his  opportunities. 
A  Professor's  Q^ig  of  ^jng  Professors  in  the  college  wrote 
Estimate.  .^-^^^^  ^^-^^^  shortly  after  that  time:  "In  an  ex- 
perience of  twenty  years  with  students  I  think 
I  may  safely  say  he  is  the  brightest  man  I  ever 
knew.  His  power  to  work  seems  almost  with- 
out limit.  He  carried  our  full  college  course 
and  full  music  course  here  for  the  last  three 
years,  and  ordinarily  one  of  these  is  considered 
full  work  for  a  student.  Beside  this,  Mr.  Mc- 
Clure  had  several  private  pupils  in  music.  He 
is  a  man  of  fine  character,  full  of  enthusiasm 
in  his  work,  has  a  keen  insight  into  human 
nature  .  .  .  ." 
Under  j,^  j^js  last  winter  in  college  he  interested  him- 
Sherwood.  ^^j^  j^^  gettmg  Sherwood,  the  great  American 
pianist  to  come  to  New  Wilmington  for  a  con- 


Robert  Reed  McClure  185 

cert.  The  musician's  charges  were  high,  and 
many  of  the  students  were  not  enthusiastic  about 
the  concert,  but  having  set  his  mind  on  it,  Mc- 
Ckire  sold  the  necessary  number  of  tickets  and 
arranged  for  the  concert.  While  there,  the  great 
pianist  heard  the  young  student  play,  and,  recog- 
nizing his  ability,  suggested  that  he  join  his  class 
in  Chautauqua  the  next  summer.  z\s  this  was 
a  rare  ofTer  for  one  so  young  and  having  had  so 
few  advantages  for  study,  the  suggestion  was 
at  once  acted  upon,  and  arrangements  were  at 
once  begun  for  the  next  summer  to  be  spent 
in  study  with  Sherwood  on  the  piano,  Flagler  on 
the  pipe  organ,  and  Wilson  in  voice  culture.  This 
proved  for  him  a  summer  of  great  delight  and 
satisfaction.  He  gave  himself  up  to  his  beloved 
music  and  revelled  in  it.  His  teachers  seemed 
to  be  much  delighted  with  his  talents  and  his 
diligence,  and  always  afterwards  took  a  lively 
interest  in  his  progress.  Through  the  recom- 
mendation of  Mr.  Sherwood,  he  was  appointed 
musical  director  at  Clarion  State  Normal  School 
in  the  summer  of  1891,  where  he  labored  faith- 
fully and  successfully  during  the  terms  of  1891- 
92  and  1892-93. 

Writing  at  this  time,  Mr.  Sherwood  says  of 
him: 

"One  of  my  most  reliable  and  competent  pu- 
pils(is)Mr.  R.  Reed  McClure,  of  New  Wilming- 
ton. Mr.  McClure  has  been  a  genuine  student 
and  hard  worker,  and  he  is  a  man  of  brains  and 


1 86  In  tHe  King's  Service 

musical  ability  combined.  *  *  *  He  does  good 
work,  analyzing  and  interpreting  music,  and  in- 
vestigating the  subtle  artistic  distinctions  of 
modern  touch  and  technique.*  *  *  He  is  a  credit 
to  the  profession.  His  judgment  is  excellent." 
A  Religious      While  in  college,  although  a  professing  Christ- 

xperience.  |^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^  markedly  religious  man,  but 
was  always  a  man  of  highest  principles  and 
noblest  character.  A  hatred  of  deceit,  and  coarse- 
ness, and  vulgarity,  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  him, 
but  many  of  the  things  that  afterwards  became 
very  dear  to  him,  he  looked  upon  in  those  days 
as  cant.  During  his  first  year  and  a  half  at 
Clarion,  he  lived  on  in  this  same  attitude  toward 
things  religious,  when  one  evening  a  friend  ask- 
ed him  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
about  to  be  held.  Without  knowing  why,  he 
consented  to  go.  During  the  meeting  the  hymn 
'Must  I  Go  and  Empty  Handed'  was  sung,  and 
the  words  of  this  song  made  a  very  deep  impres- 
sion upon  hirn.  He  began  to  question  himself  as 
to  whether  he  should  go  empty  handed  into  the 
presence  of  his  Lord. 
The       Soon  after  this,  the  great  Alaskan  missionary, 

Missionary  Dj-,  Sheldon  Jackson  came  to  the  school  to 
'^°*'^^-  speak  on  the  subject  of  missions.  With  the  im- 
pression of  the  prayer  meeting  still  fresh  in  his 
heart,  McClure  went  to  hear  the  missionary 
t^peak.  It  was  a  meeting  never  to  be  forgotten 
by  him,  and  he  here  heard  God  calling  him  to  a 
hfe  work.     He  afterward  said:  "When  I  heard  of 


Robert  Reed  McClure  187 

those  poor  people  suffering  as  they  are  in  this 
Hfe,  and  with  no  hope  for  a  Ufc  eternal,  how 
could  I  continue  to  amuse  myself  and  my  friends 
with  my  profession?  I  used  to  think  that  there 
was  nothing  in  the  world  so  grand  as  my  pro- 
fession, but  now  I  have  found  one  thing  grand- 
er." He  was  so  sure  from  that  time  that  God 
was  calling  him  to  work  in  the  foreign  field, 
that  soon  after  this,  in  the  sprmg  of  1893,  lie 
became  a  Student  Volunteer.  When  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  it  was  fully  made  up,  and  al- 
though he  knew  that  he  would  meet  with  much 
opposition  from  friends  and  relatives,  he  im- 
mediately wrote  home  what  he  had  decided  to 
do.  After  this,  lie  never  swerved  from  his  course 
nor  faltered  in  pursuing  it.  "Pleading,  and 
temptation,  and  anger,  and  rebuff  availed  noth- 
ing. He  had  heard  the  voice  of  his  great  Master 
calling  him,  and  he  must  go."  Although,  pre- 
vious to  this,  he  seems  never  to  have  thought 
of  the  possibility  of  his  entering  the  foreign  mis- 
sion field,  he  was  now  told  by  two  persons,  who 
had  been  well  acquainted  with  his  mother,  that 
this  had  been  her  prayer  for  him.  How  easily 
God  can  guide  those  really  committed  to  Him! 

In  these  days  he  found  true  for  himself  what  The  Great 
he  afterwards  expresses  in  his  own  words:  "The  Surrender 
life  of  self  is  only  found  by  the  death  of  self, 
and  true  prosperity  is  found  by  giving  up  our 
interests  for  His  sake."     Thus  had  he  learned 
the  lesson  of  surrender,  and  having  learned  it, 


i88  In  the  King's  Service 

he  acted  upon  it  to  the  letter.  Concerning 
obedience,  he  afterwards  wrote  in  a  sermon:  "It 
is  easy  to  obey  when  no  sacrifice  is  required, 
and  when  obedience  is  along  the  lines  of  our 
aims  and  purpose,  but,  when  the  voice  of  God 
calling  sounds  the  knell  of  cherished  ambitions, 
and  when  the  path  of  duty  lies  across  the  grave 
of  buried  hopes,  then  indeed  is  the  testing  time; 
blessed  is  he  who  passes  through  the  fiery  or- 
deal without  flinching,  without  swerving."  So 
did  he  bring  his  full,  strong  life  and  lay  it  on 
the  altar  of  God  without  reserve. 
The  Claims  At  this  time  his  heart  was  all  on  fire  for 
of  Alaska.  Alaska,  and  he  was  most  anxious  to  be  sent 
to  that  field.  The  great  hindrance  to  his  being 
accepted  for  that  field  was  that  the  Board  would 
not  send  out  unmarried  men  to  Alaska.  It  was 
hard  for  him  to  give  up  the  desire  to  go  to  the 
land  of  his  first  choice,  but  after  careful  con- 
sideration and  earnest  prayer  he  decided  to  en- 
ter the  theological  seminary  and  prepare  himself 
to  go  to  some  other  field. 
At  the  In  the  autumn  of  1893,  he  entered  the  Alle- 
Theological  gheny  Theological  Seminary  and  here  pursued 
eminary.  |,jg  studies  for  three  years.  Here  life  was  new 
to  him.  There  was  a  change  in  all  his  aspirations 
and  ideas.  He  saw  all  things  with  opened  eyes, 
and  life  now  had  a  profound  meaning.  All  the 
earnestness  that  had  characterized  his  study  of 
the  piano  was  now  thrown  into  the  study  of  the- 
ology   and   missions.     Of   those   days   his   inti- 


Robert  Reed  McClure  189 

mate  friend  and  class  fellow,  Rev.  O.   Crowe, 
writes : 

"I  confess  that  he  was  always  something  of  A  Classmates 
a  marvel  to  some  of  his  fellow  students.  If  he  Estimate. 
had  genius  as  a  musician,  he  had  also  marked 
ability  as  a  student,  being  able  to  grasp  a  les- 
son in  theology  or  church  history  with  an  ease 
that  was  remarkable.  Not  that  I  mean  to  im- 
ply that  he  was  superficial.  He  was  too  honest 
at  heart  to  be  satisfied  with  a  skimming  over  the 
surface.  When  he  met  with  points  of  difficulty, 
he  read  and  studied  and  revolved  them  in  his 
mind  until  they  were  settled  to  his  satisfaction. 
He  was  thorough  in  all  that  he  did. 

"As  a  student  in  the  seminary  he  was  held  in 
high  esteem  by  all  the  professors,  and  had  the 
respect  of  all  his  fellow  students.  He  scorned 
any  shirking  of  duty;  he  held  himself  aloof  from 
anything  that  was  questionable  for  a  Christian 
to  do,  and  he  held  in  supreme  contempt  any  who 
dishonored  their  high  and  holy  calling.  Being 
naturally  of  a  reserved  and  retiring  disposition, 
his  genius  and  brilliancy  were  not  apparent  on 
slight  acquaintance.  He  enjoyed  the  seminary 
life  and  carried  on  the  studies  faithfully,  but 
he  held  this  as  only  a  means  to  the  great  end 
he  had  in  view.  His  dominant  purpose  from  the 
time  I  first  knew  him  was  to  preach  the  gospel 
in  the  dark  places  of  the  earth  where  Christ  had 
not  been  named.  To  this  aim,  all  else  was  sub- 
servient.    A  volunteer  at  heart,  he  gladly  gave 


190  In  the  King's  Service 

up  his  musical  profession  that  he  might  fit  him- 
self for  service  in  the  foreign  field.  Never  did 
I  hear  him  express  the  least  regret  for  having 
given  up  the  musical  profession  for  that  of  the 
foreign  missionary." 

that  he  had  such  qualifications  for  a  preacher 
and  a  foreign  missionary,  but  God  knew  it.  Con- 
cerning the  matter  of  necessary  qualifications 
he  himself  has  written:  "When  God  has  a  work 
for  us  to  do.  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  about 
our  qualifications ;  when  He  calls,  He  will  supply 
the  fitness,  if  we  place  ourselves  in  His  hands." 
God  showed  in  his  life  how  safe  a  rule  this  is 
to  follow. 

Concerning  his  sermons  one  has  written:  "At 
college  I  never  heard  him  in  a  literary  effort, 
but  in  the  seminary  he  proved  that  he  had  in 
him  all  the  elements  of  a  sublime  writer.  When 
he  took  up  a  subject  to  treat  it,  he  first  went 
to  the  bottom  of  it,  and  went  through  all  its 
details,  and  then,  with  all  the  earnestness  that 
had  characterized  his  musical  life,  he  threw  him- 
self into  the  illumination  of  it  for  the  benefit 
of  others,  and  his  sermons  were  gems  of  literary 
beauty.  This  is  only  the  human  side.  They 
did  not  stop  there,  nor  did  they  begin  there, 
but  they  were  full  of  the  life  earnestness  that 
bad  called  him  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the 
brethren.  First  and  above  all,  his  sermons  had 
the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  but  besides  this  they  had 


Robert  Reed  McClure  191 

majesty  of  style,  soundness  of  reasoning,  clear- 
ness of  diction,  and  the  smoothness  of  a  poem. 
They  showed  the  magnificent  powers  of  the  man, 
but  better  than  this,  they  showed  that  he  was 
all  God's  man." 

When  he  offered  himself  for  the  field  of  India  Volunteering 
to  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  United  ^<"'  '"'^'°- 
Presbyterian  Church,  there  was  much  discussion 
in  the  Board  as  to  whether  they  would  send  out 
an  unmarried  man  or  not.  At  first,  little  en- 
couragement was  given  to  him  by  the  Board, 
and  while  his  case  was  under  consideration 
there,  he  procured  the  rules  governing,  and  the 
forms  for  application  for  admittance  into,  the 
China  Inland  Mission,  with  a  view  to  making 
application  to  them  to  be  sent  out  to  China. 
The  United  Presbyterian  Board  in  the  mean 
time  decided  to  make  an  exception  to  their 
(then)  rule,  and  send  the  unmarried  applicant 
to  India.  His  appointment  was  confirmed  in  the 
spring  of  1896,  and  with  much  joy  he  went  to 
his  home  to  make  preparations  for  leaving  for 
his  new  field  of  labor. 

Some  months  previous  to  this,  Mr.  McClure  Love  and 
had  discovered  his  love  for  a  friend  of  long  ac-  Service. 
quaintance,  Miss  Alice  Elliott,  of  New  Wilming  • 
ton,  and  had  made  it  known  to  her,  asking  her 
to  accompany  him  to  his  chosen  field  of  labor . 
Although  his  love  was  reciprocated,  Miss  Elliott 
could  give  him  no  definite  answer  as  to  her  be- 
ing able  to  accompany  him  to  the  foreign  field, 


192  In  the  King's  Service 

and,  in  fact,  the  way  of  her  going  seemed  en- 
tirely blocked  by  conditions  in  her  own  home. 
Although  the  most  devoted  of  lovers,  the 
thought  of  giving  up  the  call  of  his  God  for  the 
call  of  his  heart  never  seems  to  have  occurred 
to  him;  the  question  was  whether  she  could 
go  with  him,  or  whether  he  would  go  alone,  but 
in  any  case  the  final  decision  would  be  to  go.  A 
short  time  before  his  date  of  sailing,  God  so 
planned  that  Miss  Elliott  could  accompany  him 
after  another  year.  He  laid  the  matter  before 
•  the  Board,  asking  them  to  defer  his  sailing  for 
another  year,  which  they  did. 
Pastoral  During  the  year  of  waiting  he  acted  as  stated 
supply  for  the  congregation  of  Mumford,  N. 
Y.,  where,  in  various  ways,  he  spent  the  time  in 
further  preparation  for  his  work.  He  was  always 
a  careful  sermonizer,  and  much  of  his  time  was 
spent  in  that  work,  but  he  found  time  to  perfect 
himself  in  the  art  of  photography  to  a  surprising 
degree,  hoping  that  this  might  be  of  use  to  him 
in  the  foreign  field.  He  also  read  much  in  this 
year  that  was  of  much  use  to  him  in  his  after 
life. 
A  Wedding  From  the  same  number  of  the  "Junior  Mis- 
Scene.  sionary  Magazine"  from  which  a  previous  quo- 
tation was  made,  there  is  the  following:  "The 
third  and  last  is  the  beautiful  picture  of  a  mar- 
riage scene,  in  a  cozy  home,  made  bright  with 
Howers,  friends,  and  the  flutter  of  gay  ribbons, 
and  dainty  attire  of  the  still  gayer  and  brighter 


Robert  Reed  McClure  193 

young  girls.  Once  more  our  young,  noble  look- 
ing boy,  older  grown,  is  the  central  figure,  and 
standing  by  his  side  is  the  devoted  young  girl 
whom  he  has  chosen  to  accompany  him  on  his 
mission  of  love  to  the  people  of  India. 

"As  they  are  pronounced  man  and  wife  the 
noonday  sun  throws  such  a  strong,  brilliant  glow 
on  this  lovely  picture  that  we  are  always  pleased 
to  think  of  it  as  the  sign  of  the  Father's  approval 
on  the  young  life  surrendered  to  him  years  ago 
in  the  church  of  boyhood  days." 

This  marriage  must  have  been  one  of  those 
arranged  in  heaven,  for  Miss  Elliott,  besides  be- 
ing so  well  suited  m  temperament  to  be  the 
wife  of  her  chosen  husband,  was  most  admirably 
suited  to  be  the  wife  of  a  missionary,  being  a 
classical  graduate  of  Westminster  College,  an 
earnest  Christian,  and  deeply  interested  in  mis- 
sions. Here  was  the  founding  of  a  happy,  beau- 
tiful and  blessed  home. 

In  the  enci  of  October,  1897,  he  sailed  with  Sailing  for 
his  wife  for  their  work  in  India.  Before  touch-  ""■ 
ing  the  shores  of  India,  he  loved  India  and, 
from  his  wide  and  close  reading  about  mission 
fields,  he  knew  more  about  her  history,  and 
her  people,  and  her  peculiar  needs,  than  many 
people  find  out  after  a  residence  of  some  time 
in  that  land.  For  his  first  winter  he  lived  in 
Sialkot,  studying  the  language  with  a  native 
teacher,  and  teaching  two  hours  of  English  Bible 
in  the  boys'  high  school  in  the  city.     The  six 


194  111  the  King's  Service 

months  of  the  hot  season  were  spent  in  the 
mountain  sanitarium  of  Dharmsala  with  the 
teacher,  and  in  the  autumn,  beginning  the  sec- 
ond year,  he  was  appointed  to  take  up  the  work 
in  the  District  of  Zafarwal,  to  relieve  Rev.  W. 
T.  Anderson,  whose  time  of  furlough  had  ar- 
rived. 
The  Regions  -^e  had  always  had  a  great  ambition  to  preach 
the  gospel  v.'here  it  had  not  yet  been  heard,  and 
in  his  heart  had  a  hope  that  he  would  be  sent 
to  one  of  the  more  distinctly  frontier  districts. 
Before  his  appointment  to  India,  he  had  begun 
to  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  district  of  Rawal 
Pindi,  which  is  almost  directly  on  the  border 
of  India,  and  for  a  long  time  had  hoped  that  he 
might  be  sent  there,  but  few  ever  knew  of  this 
desire,  and  when  appointed  to  the  new  field  he 
went  at  the  work  there  with  his  characteristic 
concentration  of  energy.  His  desire  to  reach 
"the  regions  beyond,"  and  the  reason  for  it,  is 
well  expressed  in  a  sentence  from  one  of  his  ser- 
mons written  before  his  leaving  the  home  land: 
"Let  us  keep  clearly  in  mind  the  fact  that  our 
mission  is  to  evangelize  and  not  to  convert  the 
world.  .  .  .  Since  this  is  our  work  it  will  be  ap- 
parent to  every  one  that  our  duty  is  to  seek 
the  'regions  beyond,'  to  find  where  the  gospel 
has  not  yet  been  preached." 

He  was  a  man  who  knew  something  of  the 
extreme  difficulty  of  the  task  to  which  God 
had  called   him.     He  knew  that  India's  evan- 


Robert  Reed  McClure  195 

gelization  would  not  be  the  work  of  a  day,  and 
that  it  mean^  arduous  labor.  He  has  written: 
"It  takes  more  than  singing  'O'er  all  the  earth 
extend  his  fame'  to  make  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  cover  the  earth.  *  *  *  There  must  be  action, 
visforous  and  constant.  The  idea  that  the 
heathen  are  ready  to  rush  into  the  church  the 
moment  the  gospel  is  proclaimed  to  them,  is  a 
mistaken  one.  Human  nature  is  much  the  same 
the  world  over  and  the  indifference  manifested 
by  men  in  America  in  regard  to  the  soul's  sal- 
vation prevails  in  heathen  lands  also;  heathenism 
is  not  to  be  overcome  without  a  struggle.  In- 
stant action  alone  will  save  us  from  defeat." 

While  believing  in  action,  he  was  too  well  bal-  -*  Systematic 
anced  to  make  the  mistake  of  some  zealous 
voung  missionaries  who  rush  headlong  into  de- 
molishing old  work  and  establishing  new,  with- 
out stopping  to  consider  properly  and  calmly 
reasons  for  the  old  and  probable  results  of  the 
new.  Being  a  man  of  orderly  mind,  the  first 
task  to  which  he  set  himself  was  to  gain  a  grasp 
of  the  situation  in  his  district.  He  set  about  it 
with  all  patience  and  fully  ready  to  spend  years 
at  it  if  necessary.  Along  with  this  task  of  grasp- 
ing the  work,  he  told  himself  that  he  must  win 
the  hearts  and  confidence  of  his  native  helpers  if 
he  would  have  any  success  worth  the  name.  This 
is  a  much  more  difficult  feat  than  can  at  all 
be  realized  by  any  one  who  has  not  tried  to 
perform  it.     Perhaps  the  only  way  it  can  really 


196  In  the  King's  Service 

be  done  is  for  one  to  sit  down  and  patiently 
allow  the  people  to  study  one's  character  and 
motives  through  and  through.  They  are  so  used 
to  dissimulation  and  ulterior  motives  that  they 
can  scarcely  be  brought  to  believe  in  real 
frankness  and.  disinterested  love.  It  takes  pa- 
tience and  forbearance  almost  infinite  in  these 
first  months,  for  they  think  that  the  missionary 
being  new  to  their  country  is  very  ignorant  of 
everything,  and  they  try  to  take  every  advan- 
tage of  him.  Nothing  but  the  very  love  of  Christ, 
lived  out,  can  win  the  situation,  and  this  he  must 
have  had,  for  he  was  winning  there.  He  is  re- 
membered with  the  greatest  love  by  the  helpers 
in  Zafarwal. 

During  the  first  year  of  active  service  in  the 
district,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McClure  had  a  little 
daughter  given  to  them,  who  came  to  them  only 
to  leave  for  the  better  land.  She  is  buried  in 
the  little  cemetery  in  Sialkot. 

During  the  second  winter,  Mr.  McClure  kept 
before  him  the  great  desire  of  his  heart  to  preach 
the  gospel  in  "the  regions  beyond,"  and,  al- 
though the  Christian  work  in  Zafarwal  district  is 
very  heavy,  he  succeeded  in  getting  through  it 
and  pushing  out  for  a  little  while  into  the  part  of 
the  district  where  there  are  no  Christians.  He 
was  most  r^bsorbed  in  his  work  and  seemed  to 
think  of  nothing  else  than  the  salvation  of  the 
souls  of  those  in  the  district  committed  to  his 
care. 


Robert  Reed  McClure  197 

In  all  his  efforts,  he  had  the  firmest  convic-  '''^  '*''«/«'' 
tion  that  nothing-  but  the  word  of  God,  appHed  '  *' 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  could  be  of  any  avail  what- 
ever in  the  conversion  of  the  heathen.  He  liv- 
ed in  an  atmosphere  of  prayer,  and  in  every 
perplexity  and  difficulty  his  first  suggestion  was 
to  pray  over  it.  He  believed  much  in  definite 
prayer  and  in  expecting  a  definite  answer.  In 
prayer  he  seemed  to  stop  at  nothing  and  often 
plead  with  God  to  so  fill  him  with  the  Spirit 
that  he  might  be  used  fully,  at  whatever  cost  to 
himself.  He  had  many  definite  answers  to  pray- 
er, about  which  he  talked  as  if  they  were  the 
most  natural  thing  in  the  world,  as  of  course 
they  were.  He  most  earnestly  believed  that  the 
way  to  get  missionaries  into  the  foreign  field 
was  to  pray  them  out.  Acting  on  this  belief,  he 
had  a  list  of  young  men  of  his  acquaintance  for 
whom  he  prayed  that  God  would  put  it  into 
their  hearts  to  come  to  the  field,  and  then  would 
open  the  way  for  them. 

He  loved  his  Bible  as  only  that  man  can  who  Bible 
has  resolved  to  be  obedient  to  it  to  the  ut-  Study. 
most.  He  had  a  very  deep  spiritual  msight  into 
its  truths,  and  it  was  such  a  delight  to  him 
that  he  seemed  to  be  always  meditating  on  its 
wonders  and  always  finding  new  ones.  His  ser- 
mons, and  his  conversation,  and  his  life  show 
that  the  Bible  was  indeed  to  him  a  living  book. 
From  the  following  it  may  be  seen  what  his 
private  devotions  meant  to  him:  "We  may  well 


198  In  the  King's  Service 

be  alarmed  at  our  spiritual  state  when  we  lose 
interest  in  prayer.  But  perhaps  it  is  plainly  im- 
possible for  UL  to  go — what  then?  PRAY.  .  .  . 
And  when  we  thus  come  to  God  with  the  needs 
of  the  world  upon  our  hearts,  ready  to  be  thrust 
forth  oursodves  into  the  field,  ready  and  willing 
that  our  prayers  shall  be  answered  in  our  per- 
sons, God's  word  for  it,  our  prayers  shall  not 
be  in  vain." 

From  the  time  of  his  giving  up  of  his  life  for 
this  work,  hi?  reading  was  largely  reading  that 
would  teach  him  more  about  the  great  needs 
of  the  fields,  or  how  he  might  obtain  power  for 
his  work  in  the  field.  His  library  is  filled  prin- 
cipally with  books  descriptive  of  mission  work, 
and  mission  fields,  and  missionaries.  Perhaps 
the  three  men  whose  books  had  the  largest  in- 
fluence on  iii.:  life  were  Dr.  A.  J.  Gordon,  Robert 
E.  Speer  and  Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson.  In  his  library 
are  found  all  the  books  of  Dr.  Gordon,  and  they 
have  not  merely  been  read,  but  studied.  Per- 
haps the  lajt  book  he  read,  and  one  for  which 
he  had  expressed  the  strongest  admiration  was 
Professor  Drummond's  "Ideal  Life."  Even  as 
he  read  this  book,  he  knew  much  of  its  deepest 
spiritual  meaning  from  his  own  life's  experience. 
The  He  seemed  a  chosen  vessel  for  the  work  to 
Unexpected  vvhich  he  had  been  sent,  and  so  he  was.  God 
^"^'  chose  him,  and  he  responded  to  God's  call  and 
finished  his  work,  and  then  God  called  him  home. 
The  call  to  service  in  glory  came  to  him  on  Fri- 


Robert  Reed  McClure  199 

day,  April  2j,   1900.     The  following  is  copied 
from  the  "India  News  Letter"  of  May  2,  1900: 

"  *  *  *  On  Friday,  April  27,  at  10  P.  M.,  our 
dear  brother.  Rev.  R.  Reed  McClure  entered 
into  the  fullness  of  life. 

"It  is  very  hard  to  think  of  the  shock  this  news  Faver. 
will  be  to  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and  especially 
to  the  dear  ones  in  the  homes  ot  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McClure  in  A.merica.  The  news  came  to  us  with 
scarcely  less  suddenness.  It  is  only  a  month 
since  we  were  all  at  Synod  in  Zafarwal,  and  were 
entertained  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Clure, when  Mr.  McClure  seemed  so  well  and 
strong.  He  was  the  youngest  and  strongest  of 
our  number,  and  the  last  one  we  would  have 
expected  to  fall  a  victim  of  disease.  Only  two 
weeks  ago,  Mrs.  McClure  and  he  were  in  Sialkot, 
driving  the  distance  of  26  miles  each  way,  and 
then  he  seemed  in  good  health,  but  on  Tuesday, 
April  17,  he  was  attacked  with  fever.  In  this 
country,  fever  is  so  common  a  complaint  that  we 
treat  it  with  home  remedies  as  you  do  a  cold,  and 
there  was  no  alarm  at  first,  but  on  Wednesday 
there  was  more  fever,  and  on  Thursday  Mrs.  Mc- 
Clure and  Miss  Fannie  Martin,  who  was  with 
them,  were  so  alarmed  that  they  sent  in  to  Sial- 
kot for  a  doctor.  Miss  McKenzie,  the  doctor  of 
the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Mission,  arrived  on 
Thursday  night,  and  thought  the  case  was  not 
very  dangerous,  and  treated  the  patient  until 
Doctor  Taylor   (Scotch   Mission)   could  arrive 


200  In  the  King's  Service 

from  some  40  miles  away  in  Gujrat.  He  arrivecf 
on  Saturday  and  stayed  with  Mr.  McClure  until 
the  end,  doing  all  that  could  be  done  by  a  skilled 
physican.  *  *  *  The  disease  had  been  pro- 
nounced typhoid  fever.  *  *  * 

"He  was  surrounded  by  kind  friends  with 
helping  hands,  and  others  waited  the  turn  when 
they  too  could  help.  Miss  Martin  and  Miss 
Young,  the  lady  missionaries  of  the  station,  were 
there.  Mr.  Gordon  had  ridden  across  from  Gurd- 
aspur,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  on  his  bicycle, 
at  the  first  word,  and  Mr.  Ballantine  had  driven 
out  from  Si.ilkot.  Mr.  Crowe,  who  has  been  an 
intimate  friend  of  Mr.  McClure  since  seminary 
days,  had  been  sent  for  and  arrived  with  Mr. 
Caldwell  on  Wednesday.  As  Mrs.  McClure  had 
been  sufifering  some  from  fever,  Mrs.  Caldwell 
had  gone  out  and  relieved  her  of  all  care  of  the 
house.  All  that  love  could  do  was  done,  and 
all  that  skill  could  do,  but  the  Lord  had  called, 
and  His  servant  went  to  Him  joyfully. 
Sod's  Acre  at  "The  funeral  took  place  in  Sialkot  on  the 
Sialkot  jnorning  of  April  29,  at  10  o'clock.  Nearly  all 
the  missionaries  were  present.  He  was  buried 
beside  their  little  babe,  who  was  taken  last  year, 
and  close  beside  our  Brother  Rev.  D.  S.  Lytle, 
who  was  taken  only  last  November.  It  is  a 
spot  that  is  becoming  very  sacred  to  more  and 
more  of  us,  as  the  resting  place  of  our  departed 
ones. 


Robert  Reed  McClure  20l 

"Mr.  McClure  was  one  of  the  last  two  new 
missionaries  to  reach  the  field.  He  had  been 
here  only  two  years  and  a  half,  but  his  heart 
had  been  here  for  six  or  seven.  In  his  short 
time,  he  had  taken  a  very  high  place  in  the 
esteem  of  his  fellow  missionaries  as  a  man  of  un- 
u.'^ual  power  and  promise,  and  also  a  large  place 
in  all  our  hearts  as  a  man  of  love.  With  our 
work  here  calling  out  for  workers,  and  apparent- 
ly so  little  prospect  of  many  beng  sent,  we 
cannot  help  asking  why  God  has  called  one 
who  appeared  to  us  to  be  so  necessary.  We  do 
not  question  God's  wisdom,  for  we  know  that  it 
is  better,  not  only  for  him  who  has  gone  to  the 
Father's  house,  but  in  some  way  it  will  be  for 
the  Father's  glory  here.  We  cannot  question, 
but  we  cannot  but  wonder. 

"  *  *  *  In  all  his  sickness,  he  knew  that  he 
could  not  recover,  and  insisted  that  he  would 
be  taken,  but  he  spoke  of  such  experience  as 
cannot  be  understood  by  us  who  have  not  been 
where  he  had  walked.  To  us,  it  is  a  memory  of 
separation,  and  a  vacant  place  in  our  midst,  and 
a  tomb  in  a  strange  land,  but  to  him  it  is  a 
blessed  union  with  his  beloved  Lord,  and  the 
place  in  the  Father's  house,  and  the  crown  of 
glory. 

"  *  *  *  His  request  concerning  the  funeral 
was  characteristic  of  him,  that  there  should  be 
no  flowers,  and  no  address  of  eulogy." 


202  In  the  King's  Service 

The  Threshold  Here  is  what  death  meant  to  him,  as  stated 
°'"®'  111  his  own  words:  "To  the  child  of  God  death 
is  the  threshold  of  the  home  of  rest — the  dawn 
which  ushers  in  the  glorious  day  of  peace.  And 
who  can  realize  the  extent  of  such  blessedness 
as  this?  To  rest  from  our  labors  is  a  great 
privilege,  but  to  rest  in  the  arms  of  Him  who 
redeemed  us  is  joy  unspeakable.  In  life,  we  have 
labored  to  become  like  Christ,  but  we  shall  now 
rest  in  His  presence,  beholding  His  face  in 
righteousness,  happy  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
likeness  to  Him. 

"Do  not  cling  tenaciously  to  life,  as  if  it  con- 
tained all  of  happiness,  but  looking  to  the  great- 
ness of  the  reward,  joyfully  await  the  coming  of 
death  as  one  who  longeth  for  the  coming  of  the 
morning.  Meet  him  not  as  an  enemy,  but  as  a 
friend,  knowing  that  he  brings  you  into  the 
presence  of  your  Lord,  and  to  the  enjoyments 
of  your  great  reward." 
Continuing  He  left  in  India  his  devoted  wife,  who  nobly 
his  Work.  (ni(j  her  life  on  the  altar  of  service  for  the 
land  that  she  had  learned  to  love  with  him.  Mrs. 
McClure  offered  herself  to  the  Board  as  a  reg- 
ular lady  missionary,  and,  without  furlough,  is 
finishing  out  the  term  begun  with  her  husband. 
There  is  one  little  daughter,  Lois  Reed,  who 
never  saw  the  face  of  her  father,  and  who  shares 
her  mother's  life  and  burden  in  the  mission  field. 
And  now  what  of  this  life  of  such  great  prom- 
ise?    Is  it  thrown  away?     The  Master  himself 


Robert  Reed  McClure  203 

tells  us  of  ir:  "Except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into 
the  earth  and  die,  it  abideth  by  itself  alone ;  but 
if  it  die,  it  beareth  much  fruit.  He  that  loveth 
his  Ufe  loseth  it;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life 
in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  Hfe  eternal."  His 
life  was  a  beautiful  grain  of  wheat,  but  if  he 
had  said,  "This  grain  is  too  round,  and  large,  and 
smooth,  and  golden  to  throw  away  into  the  ob- 
scurity of  the  earth;  it  contains  much  that  may 
be  useful  to  the  world  in  other  ways,  and  I  shall 
keep  it  and  use  it  for  the  good  of  mankind  and 
the  glory  of  God  in  my  own  way;"  if  he  had 
said  this,  1-e  would  still  have  been  abiding  by 
himself  alone.  Instead  of  this,  he  counted  his 
life,  all  precious  and  golden  as  it  seemed,  as  less 
than  nothing  when  he  thought  of  the  days  of 
the  harvest  w  hen  he  should  bring  his  sheaves  and 
lay  them  at  the  Master's  feet.  Fearing  lest  he 
should  have  to  come  empty  handed  into  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  he  hated  his 
present  life  for  the  sake  of  the  life  eternal,  and 
now  his  life  is  bringing  forth  "much  fruit;"  how 
much,  and  m  what  ways,  no  one  but  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest  can  know  until  the  great  day  of 
revealing.  To  those  who  have  not  heard  the 
voice  of  his  Lord  as  he  had  heard  it  and  obeyed, 
this  life  may  now  seem  to  have  been  thrown 
away,  but  one  day  all  shall  know  the  beauty 
and  the  glory  of  a  life  buried  in  service  for  Him, 
and  raised  in  His  resurrection  glory. 


204  In  the  King's  Service 

Surely  this  life  of  bare  thirty  years  has  calls 
that  must  be  heeded  by  many  who  are  trying 
to  follow  the  Master.  What  are  they? 
Parental  igj- — ^  ^^^ll  for  parents  to  pray  for  their  chil- 
dren. It  may  be  that  these  prayers  will  be  an- 
swered in  ways  unlooked  for,  and  it  may  be 
that  the  parents  will  not  live  to  see  the  answer 
given,  but  one  thing  is  sure,  that  the  prayer 
will  never  be  forgotten  by  God. 

2nd — A  call  to  parents  to  dedicate  their  chil- 
dren to  the  service  of  God  in  the  hard  places 
of  the  earth.  When  that  young  man  met  his 
mother  in  the  glory  of  the  Father's  house,  he 
could  take  some  of  the  richest  blessings  that 
had  come  to  him  in  his  life,  and  laying  them  at 
her  feet  could  say:  "These  came  to  me  because 
you  gave  me  to  Him  for  service  in  the  hard 
places  of  the  earth."  Oh,  that  parents  might 
long  to  have  their  precious  grains  of  wheat 
fall  into  the  ground  that  they  might  bring  forth 
much  fruit;  that  they  might  be  willing  to  have 
them  lose  their  lives  so  that  they  might  keep 
them  unto  the  life  eternal. 
The  Power  of  ^rd — A  call  to  young  men  and  women  to  form 
Concentration,  ^j^^  habit  of  concentration.  Humanly  speaking, 
much  of  the  success  of  this  life  will  be  found  to 
be  due  to  its  having  gathered  up  its  forces  and 
centered  them  upon  a  single  point  at  a  time. 
Whatsoever  his  hand  found  to  do,  he  did  with 
his   might.     A  whole-hearted  man  will  bound 


Robert  Reed  McClure  205 

over  or  crash  through  obstacles  that  will  appal 
or  baffle  the  half-hearted  man. 

4th — A  call  to  many  to  ask  whether  they  are  ^""''^  C/a/ms. 
devoting  time  to  worldly  pursuits  which  God 
wants  to  use  in  heavenly  employments.  Whether 
they  will  have  to  go  empty  handed  into  His 
presence  in  the  day  of  the  great  ingathering  of 
eternal  fruits. 

5th — A  ca''  to  many  who  hesitate  to  go  to  the  ff^e  Supreme 
foreign  fieid  because  of  a  gift,  real  or  fancied,  ^""■ 
which  they  think  would  there  be  wasted.     How- 
ever markedly  a  man  may  be  gifted  in  any  wav. 
when  God  calls  him  there  is  but  one  answer  pos- 
sible. 

6th — A  call   to  every  one  to  the  most  utter  Complete 
consecration  to  God's  service.     To  let  no  taste  Consecration. 
and  no  pleasure  come  in  to  hinder  his  service, 
and  when  cnce  the  gift  is  laid  upon  the  altar 
never  to  lift  a  finger  to  touch  again  the  tiniest 
particle  for  self. 

7th — A  call  to  a  life  of  communion  with  God  Fellowship 
in  constant  Bible  study  and  prayer.    A  life  lived  •<"''^  ^od. 
in  victory  over  sin  and  power  in  service.    A  life 
of  the  dead  self  and  the  living  Christ. 

8th — The  death  of  this  warrior  in  the  midst  of  a  Call  to 
the  battle,  young  and  strong,  and  magnificently  Young  Men 
equipped,  is  a  call  to  a  thousand  of  the  young  ^"^  Women. 
men  and  women  of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ 
to  awake  from  the  slumber  of  selfishness,  to  heed 
the  trumpet  call  to  battle,  to  leap  to  their  feet 


2o6  In  the  King's  Service 

and  put  on  the  armor  of  the  Lord,  and  to  rush 
boldly  to  the  front  in  this  awful  conflict  of  Christ 
and  his  army  against  the  powers  of  darkness;  a 
call  to  fight  as  He  fought,  to  win  as  He  won, 
and  to  receive  such  a  welcome  and  such  a  crown 
as  His. 

From  this  life  here  are  the  calls,  loud  and  clear. 
Who  will  hear  and  obey?    Will  you? 


APPENDIX  A. 


MISSION  STUDY  ALONG  BIOGRAPHICAL  LINES. 

The  Plan  is  to  take  up  for  study,  in  six  consecutive 
Christian  Union,  or  Christian  Endeavor,  meetings  the  six 
lives  which  are  presented  in  this  book.  This  will  neces- 
Ritate  the  omission  of  the  regular  C.  E.  topics  for  these  six 
meetings.  Each  life  presents  a  different  phase  of  foreign 
missionary  work,  so  that  through  the  study  of  these  lives 
an  acquaintance  will  be  formed  with  the  different  depart- 
ments of  missionary  work. 

The  Authority  for  launching  this  Mission  Study  Course 
is  the  following  Eesolution  endorsed  by  the  General  Com- 
mittee and  passed  by  the  National  Convention  of  the  Young 
People's  Christian  Union  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  of  North  America,  at  its  meeting  at  St.  Joseph, 
Missouri,  July  2,  1904: 

"In  order  to  develop  and  maintain  an  abiding  and  intel- 
ligent missionary  interest,  we  recommend  to  the  societies  of 
the  Y.  P.  C.  U.  that  the  six  weeks'  meetings  of  February 
19th  to  March  26th,  inclusive,  be  devoted  to  a  study  of  our 
Foreign  Missionary  Work,  following  biographical  lines,"  etc. 

Back  of  this  formal  authority  lies  the  need  for  such  a 
course  of  study.  The  Mission  Study  Course  of  1903  proved 
the  value  and  the  practicability  of  a  united  study  of  for- 
eign missions  by  the  Young  People.  The  necessity  for  re- 
newing such  a  study  of  missions  is  as  self-evident  as  that 
which  calls  for  the  uninterrupted  operation  of  the  educa- 
tional system  of  our  country  from  year  to  year. 

The  Aim  is  to  acquaint  the  Young  People  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  with  that  part  of  the  world-wide  en- 
terprise of  Foreign  Missions  for  whose  maintenance  they 
are    becoming    increasingly    responsible.    Interest    depends 


2o8  In  the  King's  Service 

largely  upon  knowledge  and  knowledge  upon  study.  Know 
and  you  will  feel.  Know  and  you  will  give.  Know  and  you 
will  pray.  Know  and  you  will  go.  The  aim  is  the  realiza- 
tion of  that  ideal  condition  in  which  it  can  be  said.  "If  you 
want  to  know  anything  about  Minions,  you  must  go  to  our 
Young  People." 

The  Success  and  Value  of  this  Course  in  the  experience 
of  j^our  Society  will  depend  upon  the  amount  of  enthu- 
siasm and  energy,  thought  and  prayer,  which  you  are  wil- 
ing to  contribute  toward  making  it  a  success.  No  method 
will  succeed  of  itself.  The  "gun"  counts  for  something,  but 
the  "man  behind  the  gun"  counts  for  more. 

Other  Methods  of  Study  are  also  recommended.  Tlie  In- 
terdenominational Young  People's  ^Missionary  Movement 
recommends  the  organization  within  each  Society  of  a 
special  class  for  the  study  of  Missions.  The  special  class 
method  of  study  gains  in  intensity  what  it  loses  in  exten- 
siveness.  This  book,  "In  the  King's  Service,"  is  equally 
adapted  for  use  in  special  classes  organized  for  the  study 
of  missions. 


APPENDIX  B. 


ORGANIZATION  AND  LEADERSHIP. 


I.    THE  MISSIONARY  COMMITTEE. 

If  the  Mission  Study  Class  is  to  be  a  success,  there  must 
be,  first  of  all.  Responsibility.  Nothing  succeeds  of  itself. 
Who  will  be  specially  responsible  for  the  success  of  the 
Mission  Study  Course?  The  natural  answer  is,  The  Mi.9- 
sionary  Committee.  In  many  societies  it  may  be  found 
better  to  commit  the  responsibility  to  the  Prayer  Meeting 
Committee.  This  matters  little,  so  long  as  Re^sponsibility 
is  definitely  committed.  It  matters  much,  however,  that 
the  committee  in  charge  be  a  strong  committee.  By  this 
is  meant  a  committee  (a)  willing  to  work,  (b)  convinced 
of  the  opportunity  and  need — a  Responsible  Committee. 

Next  to  Responsibility  as  a  condition  of  success  stands 
Information.  The  first  duty  of  the  Missionary  Committee 
is  to  inform  itself  as  to  the  proposed  Mission  Study  Course 
and  its  need.  Hold  weekly  meetings  of  the  committee,  and 
discuss  the  special  needs  of  j'our  society.  Read  carefully 
the  general  article  on  this  course  of  study  in  Appendix  A. 
Read  the  biographical  sketches  found  in  this  book,  and  in 
connection  with  these  study  the  outlines  of  Appendix  C, 
.so  as  to  get  a  clear  appreciation  of  the  subsidiary  topics 
which  are  connected  with  each  life.  Discuss  in  committee 
meeting  the  proposed  plan  until  every  member  has  a  clear 
general  idea  of  what  is  meant  by  the  Mission  Study  Course. 
If  the  Missionary  Committee  has  no  clear  idea  of  the  aim 
of  the  proposed  Mission  Study  Course,  the  need  for  it,  and 
the  method  it  proposes  to  follow,  there  can  be  little  hope 
that  the  society  will  grasp  the  subject  and  enthuse  over  it. 


2  TO  In  the  King's  Service 

The  next  duty  of  the  Missionary  Committee  is  Organiza- 
tion. The  duties  of  the  Missionary  Committee  are  varied, 
and  as  such  can  best  be  accomplished  by  a  subdivision  of 
the  committee.  Of  the  five  members  of  the  committee,  two 
should  constitute  the  Study  Committee,  two  a  Chart  and 
Library  Committee,  and  one  a  Devotional  Committee.  These 
sub-committees  should  have  the  privilege  of  adding  to  their 
number  others,  who  may  assist  them  in  their  work;  but 
these  additional  members  should  not  be  members  of  the 
general  Mi.ssionary  Committee,  lest  it  become  large,  un- 
wieldy, and  irresponsible.  The  Missionary  Committee,  as 
a  whole,  is  responsible  for  the  success  of  every  missionary 
meeting,  but  the  duties  of  the  sub-committees  may  be  speci- 
fied as  follows: 

The  Study  Committee  will  either  provide  a  leader  for 
each  missionary  meeting  or  will  lead  the  meeting  in  the 
person  of  one  of  its  members.  It  will  assign  the  mission- 
ary study  to  the  members  of  the  society,  and  assist  them,  if 
necessary,  in  the  preparation  of  material. 

The  Chart  and  Library  Committee  will  secure  the  funds 
necessary  for  purchasing  the  equipment  described  on  pages 
216-218.  It  will  be  the  duty  of  this  committee  to  prepare 
the  illustrative  charts  suggested  on  pages  226  et  seq.  and 
others  which  will  be  described  in  the  Herald.  This  com- 
mittee will  also  strive  to  secure  a  thorough  circulation  of 
the  Missionary  Library  among  the  members  of  the  Society. 

The  Devotional  Committee  will  have  special  charge  of 
the  devotional  part  of  the  program  at  each  missionary  meet- 
ing. 

II.    THE  LEADER  AND  THE  STUDY  COMMITTEE. 

Who,  in  your  society,  will  lead  the  six  meetings  of 
the  Mission  Study  Course?  This  is,  perhaps,  the  most  im- 
portant question,  and  upon  its  answer  hinges  the  success 
of  the  Mission  Study  Course  in  your  society.  The  Mission- 
ary Committee  may  lay  the  best  of  plans,  but  a  careless, 
unenthusiastic  leader  will  be  the  undoing  of  all  their  labors. 
A  good  leader  must  be  secured.  By  this  we  do  not  mean 
a  "genius"  necessarily.  We  do  mean  one  (1)  who  will  give 
time  and  labor  to  preparation,  and  (2)  who  has  some  gift 


Appendix  211 


of  leadership.  Pastors,  or  other  prominent  persons  in  a 
church  or  community,  should  not,  as  a  rule,  be  chosen  as 
leaders.    Better  to  develop  a  leader  out  of  the  society  itself. 

It  will  be  found  best  to  retain  the  same  leader,  at  least 
throughout  the  study  of  each  mission  field.  So  much  de- 
pends upon  good  leadership,  that  no  mistake  will  be  made  in 
retaining  a  good  leader  throughout  the  entire  Course. 

In  case  no  one  who  meets  the  requirements  is  available 
for  leader,  nriembers  of  the  Missionary  Committee  may,  in 
turn,  lead  the  meeting. 

The  leader  should,  first  of  all,  read  "In  the  King's  Ser- 
vice" through  very  carefully.  He  should  get  a  clear  con- 
ception of  the  geographical  setting  of  each  life.  He  should 
then  examine  the  outlines  given  on  pages  219-225,  until  he 
is  able  to  connect  the  subsidiary  subjects  with  the  lives  to 
which  they  belong.  He  may  then,  by  reading  and  study, 
increase  his  knowledge  of  general  history,  social  customs, 
and  missionary  life  and  work — all  of  which  serve  as  colorins; 
to  the  biographical  pictures  to  be  presented.  The  three 
best  books  to  be  read  in  this  connection  are  Watson's 
"American  Mission  in  Egypt,"  Stewart's  "Life  and  Work  in 
India,"  and  Gordon's  "Our  India  Mission,"  together  with 
the  Annual  Keport  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Immediately  after  the  appearance  of  the  detailed  treat- 
ment in  the  Herald,  the  leader  should  meet  with  the  Mis- 
sionary Committee,  and  the  work  should  be  assigned  to 
the  sub-committees  as  follows: 

The  Chart  Committee  to  prepart  Charts,  illustrating  the 
Study.  The  Devotional  Committee  to  provide  especially 
for  the  closing  prayer  period.  The  Study  Committee  to  co- 
operate with  the  Leader  in  assigning  work  to  the  members 
of  the  Society. 

The  duty  of  the  Leader  of  the  Missionary  Committee  is 
not  to  lecture.  That  will  kill  a  meeting.  It  is  to  get 
others  to  contribute  the  information.  The  opportunity  of 
a  good  leader  lies  in  those  few  words  with  which  he  in- 
troduces a  speaker  and  his  theme  to  the  meeting,  and  with 
which  he  connects  the  sub-divisions  of  the  topic,  so  as  to 
give  to  the  meeting  unity  and  progress.  To  do  this,  the 
Leader  must  be  thoroughly  conversant  with  his  subject. 


212  In  the  King's  Service 

In  assigning  work  to  members,  three  things  should  be 
clearly  and  exactly  indicated  to  them:  (a)  The  particular 
subdivision  of  the  topic  which  is  assigned  to  them.  This 
will  prevent  overlapping. 

(b)  The  sources  from  which  the  required  information 
may  be  secured.  Many  a  subject  has  been  uninterestingly 
and  inaccurately  presented,  because  members  did  not  know 
where  to  go  for  information. 

(c)  The  amount  of  time  to  be  allowed  them.  Make  this 
point  emphatic,  for,  otherwise,  you  cannot  carry  out  your 
program  within  the  time  allotted. 

In  assigning  work  to  members,  the  following  form  may 
be  used  to  advantage:  — 

Subject  assigned 

References 

Time  allowed 

Suggestions   

"We  depend  on  you  to  interest  and  instruct  the  meeting 
in  thia  matter." 

III.    THE  CHART  AND  LIBRARY  COMMITTEE. 

Two  members  of  the  Missionary  Committee  shall  consti- 
tute a  Chart  and  Library  Committee  (see  page  210),  but  as 
there  is  considerable  work  for  this  committee  to  do,  it  will 
be  desirable  to  enlarge  the  committee  by  adding  three 
other  members. 
The  duties  of  the  Chart  and  Librarj'  Committee  will  be: 
(1)  To  provide  the  Equipment  described  on  pages  216- 
218. 

(a)  Every  Society  should  have  in  the  possession  of  its 
members  several  copies  of  "In  the  King's  Service,"  so  that 
those  who  take  r<irt  may  consult  the  book  without  con- 
flict. It  M^ll  be  a  great  advantage  to  have  every  member 
of  the  Society  own  a  copy.  A  personal  canvass  will  in- 
duce many  to  order  the  book. 

(b)  It  will  be  found  that  many  churches  already  possess 
a  large  part  of  the  equipment  recommended.  Some  of  the 
books  referred  to  may  be  in   the  possession   of  individual 


Appendix  213 

members.  The  wall  maps  of  our  Mission  Fields  may,  on 
investigation,  be  found  stowed  away  in  some  obscure  cor- 
ner. Take  steps  at  once  toward  securing  this  equipment, 
80  that  the  Society  may  have  the  benefit  of  it  at  the  very 
beginning  of  the  Course. 

(2)  To  prepare  maps  or  illustrative  charts  as  suggested 
on  pages  226  et  seq.  or  as  described  from  month  to  month  in 
the  Herald. 

(a)  Tack  muslin  or  heavy  manilla  paper  to  floor  or  wall. 

(b)  If  copying  a  map,  draw,  with  lead  pencil,  perpen- 
dicular and  horizontal  lines,  %  inch  apart,  across  the  map 
you  are  copying;  draw  similar  lines  twelve  inches  apart  (or 
whatever  scale  you  wish)  on  the  muslin  or  paper;  then 
copy  the  map  a  square  at  a  time. 

(c)  Colors  that  will  not  run:  Instead  of  oil,  use  a  com- 
bination of  one  part  light  varnish,  one  part  turpentine,  and 
two  parts  japan;  stir  the  colors  in  as  small  a  portion  of 
this  combination  as  is  necessary  to  form  a  thick  smooth 
paste;  then  add  more  of  the  combination  slowly,  stirring 
all  the  time,  until  quite  thin.  Wet  the  muslin  with  sponge, 
and  while  still  moist  do  the  painting.  Appropriate  colors 
are:  vermillion,  chrome  green  or  yellow,  ultra-marine  blue, 
lamp  black.    White  lead  will  serve  to  lighten  the  shades. 

(d)  Colored  crayons  of  the  blackboard  variety,  dipped 
into  melted  paraffine  until  the  pores  are  soaked  (when  the 
bubbles  cease),  may  be  used  instead  of  paints.  Press  hard 
in  using. 

(e)  Be  careful  to  make  the  lettering  neat. 

(f)  A  brief  explanation  with  the  use  of  a  pointer  will 
suffice  in  the  meeting  to  explain  and  call  attention  to  these 
charts.  They  should  be  hung,  however,  in  a  conspicuous 
place,  so  that  all  may  see  them  readily  during  the  entire 
meeting. 

(3)  To  secure  a  thorough  circulation  of  the  Missionary 
Library  among  the  members  of  the  Society.  The  Reference 
books  should  be  reserved  for  reference  at  the  Library,  but 
the  Campaign  Library  should  be  in  constant  circulation. 
The  following  method  has  been  followed  with  success: 


214  In  the  King's  Service 

(a)  Let  each  member  of  the  Library  Committee  select 
a  book  and  read  it,  marking  neatly  with  pencil  interesting 
sections. 

(b)  Insert  in  front  of  book  a  page  with  the  heading  "If 
you  cannot  read  the  entire  book,  will  you  not  read  the 
following  interesting  and  marked  sections?"  Then  indi- 
cate under  suggestive  titles  the  theme  of  the  sections,  giv- 
ing page. 

(c)  Let  each  member  of  the  Committee  see  how  many 
members  of  the  Society  he  can  get  to  read  the  book  he  has 
read  and  indexed. 


IV.    THE  DEVOTIONAL  COMMITTEE. 

One  member  of  the  Missionary  Committee  shall  consti- 
tute a  Devotional  Committee,  but  it  will  be  desirable  to 
enlarge  this  sub-committee  by  adding  two  other  members. 
The  duties  of  the  Devotional  Committee  will  be: 

(1)  To  co-operate  with  the  leader  in  making  effective  the 
ten  minute  prayer  period  with  which  each  meeting  closes. 
This  can  be  done  by  calling  attention  to  special  promises 
which  can  be  pleaded,  special  needs  which  call  for  inter- 
cession, and  special  examples  of  the  power  of  prayer. 

(2)  To  try  to  secure  on  the  part  of  each  member  of 
the  Society  daily  prayer  for  foreign  missions,  at  least  for 
the  period  of  six  weeks  devoted  to  this  Mission  Study 
Course.  A  habit  of  prayer  thus  formed  may  prove  to  many 
a  lifelong  power.  By  way  of  suggestion,  the  following 
Prayer  Cycle  is  given: 


Appendix  215 

V.    A   PRAYER  CYCLE. 

Sabbath. 

Tray  for  yourself,  that  Jesus  Christ  may  have  His  way 
in  your  life,  that  you  may  come  into  deep  and  abiding 
sympathy  with  Him  in  His  world-wide  love  and  purposes 
of  redemption.    John  16:  13. 

Monday. 

Pray  that  the  wonderful  business  methods  of  this  age  and 
the  mighty  resources  of  the  Church's  wealth  may  be  con- 
secrated to  the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  King- 
dom.   Haggai  2:  8. 

Tuesday. 

Pray  that  God  will  thrust  forth  laborers  into  the  har- 
vest—capable, efficient  men,  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
consecrated  to  His  seivice.    Acts  13:  2;  Matt.  9:  38. 

Wednesday. 

Pray  that  the  Young  Peoole's  Societies  of  the  Church 
may  be  filled  with  the  missionary  spirit,  so  that  an  intel- 
ligent enthusiasm  for  Missions  may  characterize  the 
Church.    Acts  2:  17,18. 

Thursday. 

Pray  that  the  missionaries  and  the  native  workers  may, 
through  the  quiet  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  their 
hearts,  be  filled  with  greater  courage,  a  greater  love  for 
souls,  and  greater  spiritual  power.    Actsl:  8. 

Friday. 

Pray  that  the  native  converts  may  live  holy  lives  and 
witness  faithfully  to  the  truth;  that  secret  disciples  may 
be  strengthened,  and  brought  to  an  open  confession  of 
Christ.    Eph.  3:  16-21. 

Saturday. 

Praise  and  Prayer: — Praise  God  for  the  victories  granted 
to  the  Church  in  the  past,  and  pray  that  Christ  may  soon 
tite  of  the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be  satisfied.    Isa.  53:  11. 


2l6  In  the  King's  Service 

VI.    PROGRAM  FOR  THE  MEETING. 

1.  Opening  Praise  and  Prayer. 

Five  Minutes  (5). 

2.  Missionary  Study. 

Forty  Minutes  (25). 

3.  Chart  Reviews. 

Five  Minutes  (5). 

4.  Prayer  Period. 

Ten  Minutes  (10). 

Note. — Where  the  meeting  occupies  only  three-quarters  of 
an  hour,  the  number  of  minutes  indicated  in  the  paren- 
theses may  be  allowed. 


VII.    THE  EQUIPMENT. 

In  order  to  secure  the  greatest  possible  benefit  from  the 
Mission  Study  Course,  every  Society  should  have  the  Equip- 
ment recommended  below.  Additional  help  for  use  in  the 
missionary  meeting  will  be  given  each  week  in  the  Herald, 
but  constant  reference  to  missionary  literature  will  be 
necessary  in  order  to  make  the  meeting  as  instructive  and 
interesting  as  it  can  be,  and  should  be.  Let  the  Library 
Committee  begin  planning  at  once  to  secure  for  the  Society 
the  following  Equipment,  which  will  be  in  such  constant 
use  during  the  Course  and  which  will  furnish  fuel  for  mis- 
sionary enthusiasm: 

1.  "In  the  King's  Service,"  text-book  to  be  used  by  the 
Young  People's  Societies  in  following  this  Mission  Study 
Course.  This  book  oresents  the  lives  of  six  of  our  mission- 
aries in  India  and  Egypt.  One  copy  should  be  in  the  pos- 
session of  every  Society,  indeed  is  indispensable,  while  it 
will  be  of  great  advantage  if  every  member  can  have  a 
copy,  as  the  volume  is  both  interesting  and  instructive.  In 
paper  cover:  30  cents  per  copy.  In  cloth:  50  cents  per 
copy.  C.  R.  Watson,  921  Witherspoon  Building,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 

2.  "The  American  Mission  in  Egypt,"  by  Rev.  Andrew 
Watson,  D.  D.,  a  general  history  of  the  foreign  missionary 
work  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  Egypt.    $1.50, 


Appendix  217 

postpaid.    United   Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  209 
Ninth  street,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

8.  "Life  and  Work  in  India,"  by  Rev.  Robert  Stewart, 
D.  D.,  setting  forth  the  methods  of  missionary  work  in 
India,  the  conditions  existing  and  the  difficulties  met  with. 
75  cents,  postpaid.  United  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publi- 
cation, 209  Ninth  street,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

4.  "Our  India  Mission,"  by  Rev.  Andrew  Gordon,  D.  D., 
a  history  of  the  foreign  missionary  work  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  in  India;  out  of  print,  but  may  be 
found  in  many  public  and  private  libraries. 

5.  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  con- 
taining interesting  incidents  and  illustrations  referring  es- 
pecially to  the  work  of  the  past  year.  FREE.  C.  R.  Wat- 
son, 921  Witherspoon  Building,  Philadelphia. 

6.  Report  of  the  Pittsburg  Semi-Centennial  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Convention,  containing  full  reports  of  the  addresses 
and  conferences.  $1.00  per  copy,  postpaid.  C.  R.  Wat- 
son, 921  Witherspoon  Building,  Philadelphia. 

7.  Wall  Maps  of  Our  Mission  Fields.  $1.25  the  set  (one 
of  Egypt,  one  of  India).  C.  R.  Watson,  921  Witherspoon 
Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

8.  The  Mission  Study  Pictures.  Not  only  every  Society, 
but  every  individual  member  should  have  a  set  of  these 
Pictures,  as  they  serve  to  illustrate  our  work  in  both  Egypt 
and  India,  and  make  clearer  the  material  found  in  the  text- 
book and  Herald.  India  Series,  25  cents  the  set;  Egypt 
Series,  25  cents  the  set.  C.  R.  Watson,  921  Witherspoon 
Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

9.  Missionary  Campaign  Libraries:  United  Presbyte- 
rian Missionary  Library,  fifteen  volumes,  $12.00.  United 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  209  Ninth  street,  Pitts- 
burg, Pa.  The  price  of  these  fifteen  volumes,  purchased 
singly,  would  be  $15.11.  The  entire  library  is  sold  at 
$12.00,  express  prepaid.  Also  Libraries  No.  1  and  2;  six- 
teen volumes  each.  Price  $10.00.  C.  R.  Watson,  921 
Witherspoon  Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


2i8  In  tlie  King's  Service 

10.  The  Mission  Study  Class,  by  T.  H.  P.  Sailer,  specially 
helpful  to  the  Missionary  Committee.  7  cents.  Presbyte- 
rian Board  of  Publication,  Philadelphia. 

11.  The  Missionary  Review  of  the  World,  a  monthly 
magazine  treating  of  missionary  work  throughout  the 
world,  containing  interesting  articles  from  missionaries  and 
authorities  in  all  fields.  $2.50  per  year.  Funk  &  Wag- 
nails  Company,  New  York  city. 

12.  The  Missionary  Manual.  By  A.  R.  Wells.  35  cents, 
and 

13.  Fuel  for  the  Missionary  Fires.  By  B.  ^I.  Brain.  Con- 
taining suggestions  for  missionary  meetings,  practical  mis- 
sionary work,  etc.  35  cents.  United  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  Tremont  Temple,  Boston,  or  155  La  Salle  street, 
Chicago. 

14.  "A  Hundred  Girls  of  India,"  by  Miss  Mary  J.  Camp- 
bell, a  glimpse  into  the  inner  life  and  thought  of  India's 
daughters.  20  cents  per  copy.  C.  R.  Watson,  921  Wither- 
spoon  Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


APPENDIX  C. 


OUTLINES  FOR  ASSlOiNMENT  OF  WORK. 


These  Outlines  contemplate  a  main  division  (Roman 
numeral)  to  be  assigned  to  one  person.  Where  the  leader 
wishes  to  increase  the  number  of  those  taking  part,  he  may 
assign  one  of  these  main  divisions  to  two  or  more  persons. 
\Vhere  it  is  found  impracticable  to  cover  so  much  ground 
mthin  the  time  allowed,  only  the  sub-divisions  bearing  as- 
terisks need  be  treated. 

Page  references,  if  not  designated  otherwise,  apply  to  this 
book,  "In  the  King's  Service."  The  following  abbreviations 
are  used:  A.  M.  E.  for  Watson's  "American  Mission  in 
Egypt;"  L.  W.  I.  for  Stewart's  "Life  and  Work  in  India," 
and  0.  I.  M.  for  Gordon's  "Our  India  Mission." 

The  Special  Papers  are  for  outside  work,  and  go  beyond 
the  ordinary  scope  of  the  Mission  Study  Course  as  used  in 
the  Young  People's  meeting. 

CHAPTER  I. 

JOHN  HOGG. 

L*    A  Map  Talk: 

Use  a  world  map  and  also  a  Mission  Map;  show 
route  of  travel  from  New  York  to  Egypt;  give 
area  of  Egypt,  comparing  with  size  of  some  of 
our  States;  describe  general  appearance  and 
topography  of  Nile  Valley;  indicate  population 
of  Egypt,  comparing  with  size  of  some  of  our 
States  (See  Geographies  and  Books  of  Reference 
in  public  libraries;  also  A.  M.  E.,  p.  38). 

II.    The  Pioneer  in  the  Making: 

1.  Home  Influences,  11. 

2.  In  the  Mines,  12,  13.  , 


220  In  the  King's  Service 

3.*  An  Accident  and  its  Results,  14. 

4.  Night  School,  15. 

5.*  Religious  Experience,  15,  IG. 

G.  College  Life,  16,  17. 

7.*  Mis.-ionary  Motives,  18. 

III.  Mission  Work  in  the  Delta: 

1.*  As  a  Teacher,  19;  A.  M.  E.,  93,  94,  95. 

2.  Completing  Theological  Course,  20. 

3.  Shipwreck,  20. 

4.*  Work  at   Alexandria,  21.  48;    also   A.   M.   E., 

114,  115. 
5.*  Work  at  Cairo,  22,  23;  also  A.  M.  E.,  139-148. 

IV.  Pioneer  Work  in   Upper   Egypt; 

1.     Description  of  Assiut,  24,  25;  A.  M.  E.,  176. 
2.*  The  Coptic  Religion,  25,  26,  60;  A.  M.  E.,  53- 

58. 
3.*  Facing  Persecution,  28,  29;  A.  M.  E.,  199-236. 

4.  Educational  Work,  27,  Gl,  62;  A.  M.  E.,  44?- 

460. 

5.  Meeting  False  Doctrine,  34;  A.  M.  E.,  274-277, 

287. 
6.*  Itinerating  on  the  Nile,  36,  37;  A.  M.  E.,  140- 
148,  318-325,  363-364. 

V.  Measuring  the  Man: 

1.*  His  Intellectual  Powers,  42,  21,  24. 
2.*  His  Energy  and  Devotion,  40,  41,  24. 
3.*  Missionary  Statesmanship,  22,  60.  58. 

Special  Papers: 

The  Coptic  Religion:  Its  Doctrines  and  Practices: 
See  A.  M.  E.,  12-14,  15,  16,  17,  55,  56,  57,  58, 
59,  20,  31,  54,  100-101,  123,  244,  253,  265.  110, 
139,  153-154,  180,  187,  188,  191,  240,  244,  247, 
268,  292,  293,  299,  326-332,  199-238,  269,  157- 
158,  360,  412,  391,  413,  391.  Also  Encyclo- 
paedia Brittanica,  under  heading  "Coptic." 

The  Mission  School:  T};e  Method  and  its  Value: 
See  A.  M.  E.,  442  460;  also  L.  W.  I.,  consult 
Index  references  \iiider  "Educational  Policy." 


Appendix  221 


CHAPTER  II. 
MARTHA  J.  McKOWN. 

I.*    Years  of  Preparation: 

1.  Early  Work  in  Sabbath  School,  47. 

2.  Educational  Advantages,  47. 

3.  Experience  as  a  Teacher,  47,  49. 

II.  At  Alexandria: 

1.     Lack  of  Proper  Accommodations,  48. 

2*  Jewish  and  Foreign  Character  of  School,  49,  50. 

III.  At  Assiut: 

1.     Description  of  Assiut,  52,  53,  54;  its  climate,  50. 

2*  Woman's  Life  in  Egypt',  54;  A.  M.  E.,  433-438. 

3.*  The  Founding  of  the  Girls'  School,  55;  its 
growth,  57;  how  conducted,  58,  63;  its  suc- 
cesses, 64;  need  of  enlargement,  70;  the 
Pressly  endowment,  71,  73;  A.  M.  E.,  446- 
448. 

4.  Liberating  Slave  Girls,  60,  67,  68,  69. 

IV.  Failing  Eyesight: 

1.*  The  Victory  of  Submission,  72,  73,  75,  76,  78. 

2.*  Leaving  Egj'pt,  79;  at  home,  80. 

3.*  Harim  Work,  74,  76,  77;  A.  M.  E.,  438-441. 

Special  Papers: 

Harim  Work:  The  Method  and  its  Value:  See  A. 
M.  E.,  435-441;  L.  W.  I.,  consult  Index  refer- 
ence under  "Zenana  Work." 

Mohammedanism:  Its  Doctrines  and  Practices:  See 
A.  M.  E.,  40-53;  L.  W.  I.,  consult  Index  refer- 
ences under  "Mohammedanism;"  also  Encyclo- 
paedia Brittanica. 


232  In  the  King's  Service 

CHAPTER  III. 
SARAH  DALES  LANSING. 

I.  Development  and  Preparation: 

1.  Parentage,  84. 

2.  Education  and  Literary  Abilitv.  84,  85. 
3.*  Religious  Experience,  85,  86. 

4.*  Missionary  Purposes,  86,  87.  88,  89. 

II.  At  Work  in  Syria: 

1.*  Map  Talk:    indicating   line  of   travel   to   Syria; 

location    of    places    named,    and    character    of 

country,  90,  91,  92. 
2.     Work    Among    Jewesses,    93;    their    hatred    of 

C4ospel,  94.  95. 

III.  In  Alexandria: 

1.     Political  Dangers,  100. 

2.*  Mutual  Attachment  of  Teachers  and  Pupils,  101. 

IV.  In  Cairo: 

1.  Character  of  School,  102. 

2.*  A  Religious  Awakening,  103,  104,  105. 
3.*  Persecuted    for   Christ's    Sake,    106,    107,    108, 
109,  110. 

V.  IVIarried   Life: 

1.*  Dr.  Gulian  Lansing,  110;  A.  M.  E.,  397401. 

2.  Work  Among  Travelers,  111,  112. 
3.*  Her  Death,  113-115. 

VI.  Estimate  of  Character: 

1.*  Devotion  to  Christ,  83.  87,  9.5,  98,  99. 

2*  A  Soul  Winner,  87,  88,  96,  103-105,  111.  114. 

3.*  A  Patient  Sufferer,  97,  98,  113. 

Special  Papers: 

The  Story  of  Bamba  and  the  Indian  Prince:   See  A. 

M.  E.,  159,  163-172,  176,  183,  468. 
The  Persecution  of  Fam  Stephanos:   See  A.  M.  E., 

140,  209,  212,  223,  240,  395. 


Appendix  223 

CHAPTER  IV. 
ANDREW  GORDON. 

I.  Character  Building: 

1.*  Home  and  Home  Training,  119,  120. 

2.  The  Discipline  of  Poverty,  121,  124. 

3.  School  Training,  122,  129,  130,  131. 

4.*  Religious  Experience,  125,  126,  127,  128. 
5.*  The  Missionary  Decision,  132,  133. 

II.  Off  for  India: 

1.  The  Journey  Out,  134,  135;  also  0.  I.  M.,  31-38. 
2.*  Map  Talk:   show  route  to  India,  give  area  and 

population,  comparing  with  some  of  our 
States;  show  location  of  our  mission  field  in 
the  Punjab,  131;  also  L.  W.  I.,  94-106;  0.  I. 
M.,  60-88. 
3.*  The  Journey  From  Calcutta  to  Sialkot,  136; 
0.  I.  M.,  39-51. 

III.  Founding  a  IVIission: 

1.*  Problem  of  Methods,  137.  139;  0.  I.  M.,   120- 
127;  L.  W.  I.,  148-154. 

2.  Problem  of  Caste,  138;  L.  W.  I.,  224. 

3.  Lack  of  Funds,  138;  0.  I.  M.,  89-101. 

4.*  The  Sepoy  Rebellion,  140,  141,  142;  0.  I.  M., 

128-164. 
5.*  First  Baptisms,  142,  143;  0.  I.  M.,  177. 

IV.  Ill   Health: 

1.*  Retirement  to  America,  143. 
2.     Earning  a  Livelihood,  143,  144. 

V.  Return  to  India: 

1.  A  Shorter  Journey,  145. 
2*  Personal  Work,  146-151. 
3.*  Death  in  America,  151-152. 

Special  Papers: 

India  of  1854:  Consult  0.  I.  M.,  L.  W.  I.,  and  gen- 
eral histories  of  India. 

The  Caste  System  of  India:  Consult  L.  W.  I.,  Index 
references  under  "Caste." 


224  111  the  King's  Service 

CHAPTER  V. 
SOPHIA  E.  JOHNSON. 

I.  Meeting  the  Gordon  Family: 

1.*  Map  Talk:  locate,  on  a  wall  mission  map,  placed 

referred  to. 
2.*  Acquaintance  Formed   With   Dr.   Gordon.   155- 

158. 
3.*  The  Breaking  Up  of  Home,  158-159. 

II.  A  Missionary  Apprentice: 

1.     Zenana  Work,  160. 

2.*  Amateur  Medical  Treatment.  160-162. 

III.  In  America  for  a  Medical  Training: 

1.  First  Impressions,  164. 
2.*  Making  Her  Way,  165. 
3.     Missionary  Addresses,  165,  166. 

IV.  Home  Ties: 

1.     Parentage,  167. 

2.*  Her  Mother's  Conversion,  168,  169. 

3.     Her  Mother's  Death.  169. 

V.  AtJhelum: 

1.*  Her  Hospital,  171. 

2.*  Unselfish  Devotion,  172-174. 

3.*  Tributes  of  Love  and  Respect,  175,  176. 

Special  Papers: 

Medical  Work:  The  Method  and  its  Value:  See  L. 
W.  I.,  consult  Index  references  under  "Medical 
Missionary  Work;"  A.  M.  E..  109,  243,  300, 
394. 

Poverty  and  Illiteracy  in  India:  See  L.  W.  I.,  con- 
sult Index  references  under  "Poverty"  and  "Il- 
literacy." 


Appendix  225 


CHAPTER  VI. 
ROBERT  REED  McCLURE. 

I.  Early  Life: 

1.     Parentage,  179. 

2.*  Confession  of  Christ,  180. 

3.     His  Mother,  180. 

II.  Musical  Talent: 

1.     Athletic  Body,  181. 

2.*  Love  for  Music,  181-185. 

3.     Teaches  Music,  185. 

III.  The  IVIissionary  Purpose: 

1.*  An  Impressive  Meeting,  186. 

2.*  Difficulties  in  the  Way,  187,  188. 

3.     In  the  Seminary,  188-191. 

4.*  Difficulties  Removed,  192,  193. 

IV.  A  Brief  Service: 

1 .     Studying  the  Language,  193. 
2.*  The  Care  of  Christians,  196. 

3.  The  Regions  Beyond,  196. 

4.  His  Death.  198-200. 

V.  The  IVIessage  of  His  Life: 

1.*  Characteristics  of  His  Christian  Life,  186,  187, 

188,  194,  196,  197,  202. 
2*  The  Message,  204-206. 

Special  Papers: 

The  Low-Caste  Movement  Toward  Christianity:  See 
L.  W.  I.,  consult  Index  references  under  "Castes, 
low;"  0.  I.  M.,  421-432. 

Missionary  Itinerating  in  India:  The  Method  and 
its  Value:  See  L.  W.  I.,  consult  Index  refer- 
ences under  "Itinerating  Work." 


SIZE  OF  OUR  FOREIGN  FIELDS. 


NOTE :— The  States  enclosed  within  the  b/ac/(  line  have  a  population  equal  to  the 
foreign  mission  fields  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,— 16,000,000 
people. 


IN  OUR  FOREIGN  FIELDS 


I  DIES  EyERY  MINUTE, 
60  DIE  EVERY  HOUR, 
/.440  DIE  EVERY  DAY 
43.000  DIE  EYERY  MONTH. 
500.000  DIE  EVERY  YEAR. 


'WITHOUT  CHRIST. 

WHAT  DOES  THIS  MEAN, 
TO    THEAl? 
TO    HIAl? 
TO    AtE? 


•t 


THE  UNUSED  CROSS. 


AND  I.  IF  I  BE 
LIFTEO  UP  FROM 
THE  EARTH,  WILL 
DRAW  ALL 
MEN  UNTO 
ME. 


ONE  HALF 
THE  WORLD 
IS  BEYOND 
THE  REACH  OF 

ANY  MESSEN&ER 
OF  JESUS  CHRIST, 


HOME  AND  FOREIGN  FIELDS. 


OUR 
UNITED    PRESBYTERIAN 


FOREIGN     MISSION    FIELD 


16.000.000 


NOTE :— As  there  is  one  Protestant  church  member  in  America  to  every  three  who 
are  not,  the  Home  Field  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  is  ta/cen  at 
approximately  three  times  its  membership. 


THE  OCCUPATION  of  OUR  FIELDS, 


OUR  HOME  CHURCH an<)  FIELD, 
FIELD'THREE  TIMES  MEMBERSHIP. 


FIELD 

914 

TIMES 

MEMBEHSHIP. 


HOME mm-aOMO  MEMBERS  HOME  FIELD  380.000 
m£IM  CHURCH  17.500  MEMBERS  FOREIOM  FIELD  ICJOOCOOO 


The  Occupation  of  our  Fields, 

SHOWING  THE  682  PASTORS  AND  STATED 
SUPPLIES  IN AMERICA,AND  THE 83  ORDAINED 
M/SSIONARIES/OREION  AND  NATIVE.  IN  OUR 
fOREION  ^^ ^^      FIELDS. 


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